Brookside Dairy Uganda has found a new export lifeline in Algeria, following a lengthy trade standoff with neighboring Kenya that has shut the company out of its primary market for more than 800 days.
The company, a subsidiary of Kenya-based Brookside Dairy, is among four Ugandan milk processors selected by the Algerian government and private importers to supply powdered milk. The other firms include Pearl Dairies (owned by Mauritius-based Maziwa), Amos Dairies, and the newly established Bennifoods, which runs a plant in Lyantonde, about 200km southwest of Kampala.
Brookside Uganda received the first three-month exclusive export slot to Algeria from May to July 2025. This move is part of Uganda’s broader effort to cushion its dairy exporters, especially after Kenya’s Dairy Board (KDB) blocked Brookside Uganda’s products from entering the Kenyan market in March 2023.
“Brookside had accumulated stock due to restricted access to the Kenyan market. We agreed to allocate them the first export slot to Algeria,” said Samson Akankiza, Uganda’s Commissioner for Dairy Development and Production.
Pearl Dairies will take over the next export window from August to October, followed by Amos Dairies and Bennifoods in sequence. This rotation ensures all four processors benefit from the Algerian deal.
Uganda’s dairy authorities are also negotiating with Morocco to enter its growing dairy market, which was valued at $1.39 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow to $1.69 billion by 2030, fueled by rising demand from the middle class.
Meanwhile, the Algerian market—estimated at $500 million—offers Uganda a much-needed alternative as its access to the Kenyan market remains blocked. While other Ugandan brands like Lato and Dairy Top continue to sell in Kenya, Brookside Uganda remains shut out.
Industry observers believe the Kenyan ban could be politically motivated, as Brookside’s parent company is largely owned by the family of former President Uhuru Kenyatta, a political rival of current President William Ruto.
Brookside Dairy has called the restrictions unfair, but for now, Algeria is offering the company a vital chance to keep operations afloat.
“We agreed to allocate them the first export slot to Algeria,” said Samson Akankiza. “Brookside had accumulated stock due to restricted access to the Kenyan market.”
