Kenneth Gitonga recognised as CEO of the year in dairy industry awards

The accolade was presented during a ceremony co-located with the Africa Dairy Innovation Summit on 17 April 2026.

The recognition of Kenneth Gitonga as Chief Executive Officer of the Year at the Africa Dairy Industry Awards 2026 highlights his leadership in scaling Meru Central Dairy Cooperative Union and advancing Kenya’s largest farmer-owned dairy processor.

Gitonga joined Meru Central Dairy Cooperative Union in 2011 and has served as the CEO since then. Meru Central Dairy Cooperative Union was established in 1967 by three primary cooperative societies, Naari, Katheri, and Buuri, to help farmers market their milk.

The union installed its first processing line in 1982 and underwent major expansion in 2015. Under his direction, the union has grown into Kenya’s largest dairy processor.

During his tenure, Gitonga has spearheaded key achievements which include increasing daily milk processing volumes from approximately 406,000 litres per day in 2023 to 640,000 litres per day in 2025–2026 (with peaks reported at 700,000 litres).

The union has set a target to reach one million litres per day under the “Race to a Million” initiative.

Gitonga has overseen the securing of ISO 22000:2018 Food Safety Management System certification from the Kenya Bureau of Standards in early 2026.

The union has also advanced infrastructure development, including the Meru Maziwa Millers (Maziwa Feed Mills) animal feed manufacturing plant in Mitunguu.

This Sh200 million facility is designed to produce up to 12,000 tonnes of high-quality dairy feed per month, reducing feed costs for farmers and supporting higher milk yields.

Meru Central Dairy sources raw milk from over 120,000 smallholder farmers organised under 120 cooperative societies, primarily in Meru County and surrounding areas.

The union produces a range of value-added products under the Mount Kenya brand, including fresh milk, long-life milk, yoghurt (in strawberry and vanilla flavours), lala (fermented milk), and ghee. These products reach an estimated 10 million customers across Kenya.

The cooperative manages an integrated value chain, including collection through multiple cooling centres, 24-hour processing operations, and nationwide distribution.

In 2024, Meru County produced 479 million litres of milk annually, ranking among Kenya’s top milk-producing counties according to the National Agriculture Production Report. The union handles a substantial share of formally marketed milk.

Gitonga’s leadership has focused on expanding processing capacity, enhancing product quality and safety standards, investing in farmer-support infrastructure such as the feed mill, and navigating sector challenges, including drought and competition from imported milk powder, while achieving sustained growth in volumes and prudent management of cooperative resources.