Meat is something that is rarely missed in most of the dishes prepared in Kenyan households. As a result, selling meat is seen as a lucrative venture as there is a ready market.
But how do you go about this venture? How much capital do
you need? Which equipment is required? Does a butchery business require a
permit?
Worry not, this article will guide you with all the
information you need to start a butchery business in Kenya.
Capital
The amount of capital required to start this venture depends
on two things: the size and site of your butchery. These two factors will
determine how much money you will require to get your butchery off the ground.
A small-sized butchery in a low-income area will cost you Ksh
25,000 – Ksh 50,000. A medium-sized butchery in a middle-income area will cost
you Ksh 75,000 – Ksh 100,000 and a large butchery in a high-income area will
cost you Ksh 200,000 and onwards.
Butcheries in high-income areas will require you to spend so
much on décor and other intricacies to attract other customers. Whereas in
low-income areas you only need the basic necessities.
You can get away with not having a freezer if you minimize
your stock to just what customers demand. This is why the capital will differ
according to its site and size.
Business permit
As with any other business, you will need a permit to
operate a butchery. You will need to apply for a single business permit. The
price varies depending on which county you reside in. To apply, go to ecitizen.go.ke. The application
will cost you Ksh 200.
Also, the permit differs on the number of employees you are
planning to have. A medium trader business permit costs Ksh 10,000 and caters
for 5-20 employees. A large trader business permit costs Ksh 20,000 and caters
to 21-50 employees.
Apart from a single business permit, you will also need
these other licenses:
- Trading
License: Valid for a year. It costs Ksh 10,000
- Fire
Safety and Clearance License: Valid for a year. It costs Ksh 3,000
- Food
Hygiene and Handling Certificate: Valid for 6 months. It costs Ksh 600
Location
Where you install your butchery can make or break your
business venture. Generally, you want your butchery to be situated in a busy,
densely populated area.
Your butchery should be easy to see and walk to. The best
places to set up your butchery should be in a residential area center or close
to a supermarket, bus stop, market, or other areas that experience high
pedestrian traffic.
The location should also be conversant with the type of meat
you are selling. You cannot set up a pork butchery in an area where Muslims
live because you will not make any sales. For a large butchery, you should be
able to have ample parking space and clean surroundings to attract more
customers.
Equipment
To run a butchery, you will require basic equipment. This
will range from a coat to a display counter. The following are the items you
need to start a butchery:
- Whitecoat
- Display
counter
- Meat
slicer
- Bone
saw machine
- Bone
saw blade
- Meat
mincer
- Analog
weighing scale
- Butcher
weighing scale
- Steel
sharpener
- Meat
saw
- Meat
cleaver
- Stainless
steel hook
- Hanging
scale
- Freezer
- Wrapping
material
Depending on the market, the lowest amount all these tools
should cost you is about Ksh 25,000. With the tools mentioned above, you will
be able to operate a butchery efficiently.
Where to get a meat supply
Meat can be outsourced from a variety of places regardless
of which county you are residing in. However, meat supplied by licensed
slaughterhouses should be your first choice. This is because they’ve been
vetted by the Health Ministry thus their meat has been inspected and is fit for
sale and consumption.
If you are starting, you don’t need to stock a wide variety
of meat, focus on beef and chicken, then grow to other varieties gradually.
Also, if you are intending to open a butchery around a Muslim community, the
slaughterhouse you get your meat from should have a Halal Certification.
The following are licensed slaughterhouses where you can get
your meat:
- City
Market
- Huruma
slaughterhouse
- Njiru
slaughterhouse
- Goldox slaughterhouse
- Nanyuki
slaughterhouse
- Lomidat
slaughterhouse
You should also know that the price of meat varies depending
on its type. Beef is the cheapest whereas seafood is expensive.
To retain and keep your customers coming back, always get
good quality meat, even if it means paying a little more for the supplies.
Don’t just sell hard meat, especially to those buying raw to
cook for themselves. Mix with some soft ones too. If you follow these
parameters, you will be able to start a profitable butchery business.
How to Price your Meat
The selling price of your meat depends on your location,
size, and standard. If you’re a high-end butchery, you can expect to charge
customers up to KES 2,000 per kg. Most butchery, however, price their meat per
gram. You can also sell at different price points like KES 100, 200, 300, 500,
1,000 etc.
For most butchery owners, it’s all about value addition. You
can sell your meat on-site as nyama choma, boiled or fried with rice, ugali,
matoke, or other side dishes. This way, you can fetch better prices and sell
more meat per day.
Wrap-Up
When all’s said and done, butchery business in Kenya is all
about strategic location, being smart, and maintaining a high standard of
hygiene.