Weekly News Roundup Nō 31, Jul 2025
Foodtec Africa 2025: Nairobi Hosts Africa’s Premier Food Innovation Showcase
Nairobi came alive on July 24, 2025, as Foodtec Africa 2025 opened its doors at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), drawing industry leaders, innovators, and investors from across the continent and beyond. As East Africa’s flagship exhibition on food processing, manufacturing, and packaging technology, the event provided a platform for showcasing cutting-edge innovations and exploring strategies for strengthening Africa’s food systems in a rapidly evolving global landscape.
The exhibition hall at KICC was a hive of activity from the morning as more than 300 exhibitors representing over 25 countries set up their displays, attracting thousands of visitors ranging from local food entrepreneurs to multinational equipment suppliers. Exhibitors demonstrated the latest advancements in food processing machinery, including high-speed bottling systems, automated labeling lines, vacuum packaging units, and modular food production lines designed to meet both small-scale and industrial demands. Attendees engaged hands-on with the equipment, receiving live demonstrations that emphasized efficiency, hygiene, and adaptability iduction.n food pro
A notable highlight of the event was the emphasis on food safety and regulatory compliance. Booths hosted by food quality assurance companies showcased state-of-the-art sanitation systems, testing kits, and traceability software meant to support companies striving for certification under international food safety standards. Representatives from Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) and the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) provided guidance to local producers on enhancing their packaging and labeling in line with export market requirements.
Meanwhile, the packaging segment drew considerable attention, with exhibitors revealing innovations such as biodegradable films, smart packaging labels, and vacuum-seal technology—all designed to address sustainability goals while enhancing food shelf life. Startups from Kenya’s growing agri-tech scene also had a strong presence, including firms offering solutions in cold chain logistics, mobile-based inventory tracking, and AI-assisted production analytics for SMEs.
Alongside the exhibition, Foodtec Africa 2025 featured a series of expert-led panels and keynote presentations. Topics ranged from climate-smart processing and value chain digitization to plant-based nutrition and the role of women in food entrepreneurship. The opening plenary emphasized the importance of regional integration and public-private collaboration to build resilient, scalable, and competitive food manufacturing ecosystems in Africa.
Dr. Jane Muthoni, a food systems analyst and one of the keynote speakers, emphasized Kenya’s opportunity to capitalize on such platforms to expand its agro-processing sector. “Foodtec Africa is more than a trade show,” she said. “It is a convergence of innovation, policy, and market intelligence. Events like these catalyze investment and knowledge sharing, crucial for reducing post-harvest losses and increasing value addition in our food value chains.”
The event also included a structured B2B matchmaking program that facilitated scheduled meetings between equipment suppliers, food processors, financial institutions, and government agencies. This provided a space for meaningful commercial dialogue and partnerships, with many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) reporting productive engagements likely to result in equipment purchases and technical support.
As Kenya continues to prioritize agro-industrial transformation under its Vision 2030 and Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, Foodtec Africa 2025 underscored the importance of investing in food technology to boost value addition, create employment, and ensure food security. The exhibition, running from July 24 to 26, concluded with high expectations for sustained collaboration and capacity building in the country’s agro-processing landscape.
Foodtec Africa Official Website. “About Food Industry.” https://foodtecafrica.com/about-food-industry
Nairobi to host international agri-expo
Kenya will host the 2025 Africa International Agricultural Expo (AIAE) from October 28 to 31, organizers announced during a media briefing on Tuesday 29th July 2025. The event is expected to spotlight innovation and market integration as key drivers for boosting agricultural productivity across the African continent. The high-profile expo is being organized jointly by Hunan Hongxing International Exhibition and Agri-Africa Exhibition, in collaboration with Kenya’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development. This year’s theme, “Increasing Agricultural Productivity in Africa Through Innovation and Market Access,” reflects a continent-wide focus on leveraging technology and investment to enhance food security and economic growth.
Speaking at the announcement, Dr. Paul Kipronoh Ronoh, Principal Secretary in Kenya’s State Department for Agriculture, emphasized the importance of the expo in fostering technological exchange and commercial partnerships. “The 2025 expo is an unmatched springboard for innovation, knowledge sharing, and market connections. It offers African stakeholders direct access to cutting-edge technologies from China and other global players—spanning water harvesting, precision irrigation, post-harvest solutions, agri-finance, and value addition for a climate-resilient future,” he said.
Organizers project that more than 15,000 visitors will attend the four-day event, which will serve as a continental platform for showcasing breakthroughs and forging trade alliances.
Ding Guiping, Deputy General Manager at Hunan Hongxing International Exhibition, noted that the expo will draw participation from 17 countries, including approximately 200 exhibitors, among them 100 leading Chinese firms. The exhibition will feature thematic zones focused on agricultural technology, machinery and equipment, farm inputs, veterinary medicine, agro-processing, and cross-border e-commerce—reflecting a broad spectrum of solutions for the modern African farmer.
Tito Mutai, CEO of Agri-Africa Exhibition, highlighted the strategic significance of the expo for Africa’s agricultural development. “Africa holds the largest share of the world’s uncultivated arable land yet remains a net importer of food. This event is critical in facilitating technology transfer from China’s advanced agricultural sector to Africa, helping to close the productivity gap,” he said.
Also present was Demeke Atnafu, Deputy Head of Mission at the Ethiopian Embassy in Kenya, who affirmed Ethiopia’s enthusiasm to participate in the exhibition. He noted that the event will offer a valuable opportunity to explore market linkages for key Ethiopian export products in both African and Chinese markets.
The Africa International Agricultural Expo 2025 is poised to become a pivotal moment for continental stakeholders seeking to harness innovation, investment, and intercontinental collaboration to reshape the future of African agriculture.
Uasin Gishu County Advances Agricultural Modernization with Visit from Global Coffee Tech Firm
The County Government of Uasin Gishu has intensified its drive to modernize agricultural value chains by hosting a high-level delegation from Jiexun Coffee Cloud Quality Sorting Solutions (AnySort)—a global leader in intelligent sorting technologies.
The visit, which took place on Tuesday,29th Juy 2025, brought together senior county officials and representatives from Anhui Jiexun Optoelectronic Technology Co., Ltd., a Chinese company known for its cutting-edge sorting systems. Receiving the delegation, Deputy Governor H.E. Hon. Evans Kapkea reaffirmed the county’s commitment—under the leadership of Governor Dr. Jonathan Bii—to embrace innovative technologies that boost agricultural productivity and quality.
“This is a significant step toward equipping our farmers with tools to compete in the global marketplace,” Kapkea said, highlighting the county’s broader goal of enhancing returns through modernization.
The introduction of Jiexun’s Coffee Cloud Quality Sorting Solution is expected to revolutionize local coffee processing. The system offers high-precision sorting capabilities—ensuring consistency in bean size, color, and defect detection—thereby enabling farmers to command better prices in both local and export markets. In addition to improving quality, the technology is projected to cut labor costs and increase efficiency in coffee production.
County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Agriculture Dr. Sam Kotut and Chief Officer Eng. Abraham Kiptalam praised the potential of the technology to transform the region’s agricultural economy. They emphasized the importance of partnerships that deliver tangible value addition and technological upgrades to the coffee sector.
Jiexun’s delegation, led by Ms. Haimi Zong and Mr. Daniel Wang, expressed strong interest in piloting their system in Uasin Gishu. Beyond intelligent sorting, the platform offers traceability features essential for compliance with international standards, strengthening the county’s position in the global coffee value chain.