Beyond the price tag: Why food safety should matter more than ever to chicken lovers

By Dan Muranga

Last month, a mother in Nairobi bought what seemed like a fresh chicken from a local butchery. She thought she was saving some Ksh80, the amount by which the chicken was cheaper, compared to the usual price. Instead, she spent Ksh6,000 on hospital bills when her five-year-old son got a serious foodborne infection.

Data from Johns Hopkins University in the US show that one in ten people worldwide gets sick from contaminated food each year. Africa has about 91 million of those cases and 137,000 related deaths. For Kenyan families, this means real danger, high medical costs, and serious public health threats.

As the demand for chicken grows due to increase in population, urbanisation and improving diets, food safety can no longer be ignored. Contaminated poultry can carry pathogens like Salmonella, Campylobacter, Listeria, or harmful strains of E. coli. These can cause symptoms like diarrhoea, fever, cramps, and vomiting. For vulnerable groups, such as young children, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses, the effects can be devastating or fatal.

A bigger threat from antimicrobial resistance (AMR) looms. Put simply, misuse of antibiotics in poultry rearing and subsequent consumption of products with residues of the same has far reaching negative consequences. Bacteria can gain resistance from such interactions, creating a scenario where treating resulting infections becomes incredibly challenging. This would burden an already stretched healthcare system and families with high out-of-pocket costs.

The World Food Safety Day is more than just a date. It urges action. Ensuring food safety is of utmost importance at Kenchic, being a market leader in the supply of chicken to consumers.

Kenchic is paving the way and leading in upholding food safety requirements all the way from the farm to fork.

The hidden cost of unsafe chicken

It's easy to focus on the market price, but the real cost of unsafe chicken goes deeper. Contaminated poultry often comes from farms where feed isn’t tested for mycotoxins, slaughterhouses with poor hygiene, or broken cold chains between farm and fridge.

In Kenya alone, foodborne diseases cost the poultry sector over $1 billion each year in lost productivity, healthcare, and consumer confidence. Worse, AMR could push these costs even higher. Every untreated infection causes pain for a family and risks a public health crisis that raises medical costs and lowers workforce productivity.

Safety from the inside out

From good breeding practices, proper flock management, strict biosecurity implementation and animal welfare, Kenchic ensures the production of healthy birds. The flocks are kept in world-standard conditions and are given adequate high-quality food and water. Their health and well-being are monitored by qualified and experienced vets with the support of a microbiology lab.

Vaccination and strict biosecurity actively help keep the bird’s immunity high and also prevent introduction of pathogens. Regular testing of the feed and water given to the chicken, the chicken's environment, those handling the chicken and the birds themselves helps in timely and effective handling of any threat to the flocks.

The processing plant is a state-of-the-art facility with modern machines and well-trained personnel who ensures that the slaughter process is done efficiently and in adherence to meat control standards.

Healthy birds are processed into various poultry products from capons to Hungarian sausages, amongst others here.

The plant adheres to strict hygiene standards that are backed by standard operating procedures, records and regular sampling. Hygiene audits, both internal and external, keep the whole system on its toes. A Kenchic product is produced with food safety as the overarching principle and the consumer is guaranteed of this.

Kenchic doesn’t just talk about food safety. It lives it. Strong measures are woven into every part of its operations, placing food safety at the core of the company.

As urbanisation and improving diets boost Kenya’s demand for chicken, the need for strict safety protocols is critical. Food safety goes beyond procedures. It is essential for public health, economic stability, and consumer trust. For chicken lovers, choosing Kenchic means supporting a healthier and safer future.

This World Food Safety Day, remember that the real value of food isn’t just what you pay at the market, but the peace of mind in knowing your meals are safe. The healthier choices you make, the more the savings on potential health concerns.

By doing the right thing, Kenchic makes people’s lives better through a steadfast commitment to the stewardship of our food, our environment, our animal care, and our people. For chicken lovers, choosing Kenchic means investing in a healthier household and a more secure food future.

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Dan Muranga is a microbiologist with Kenchic