Sameer makes foray into ice cream market

Kenya: Sameer Agriculture and Livestock had made foray into the ice cream market with a Sh300 million plant.

The firm whose dairy products are sold under the Daima brand name said the Nairobi facility produces 20,000 litres of ice cream daily. The company said the technology and distribution knowledge was brought in from India’s largest ice-cream brand, Creambell.

Speaking in Nairobi yesterday when the company launched a range of its dairy ice creams, Sameer vice-chairman Madhu Parikh said, “The Creambell technology ensures ice-cream mix of higher viscosity and ice-cream with higher resistance to melting, without compromising texture and mouth-feel.”

“Our ice cream is fully made from cow milk fat and cow milk proteins, unlike most international brands that are made from vegetable fats.”

Sameer Chairman Naushad Merali said in the last five years the company has been angling for a slice of the local dairy products market in the region. Three years ago, the company completed a Sh500 million upgrade of its milk processing plant in Nairobi. Besides milk, ghee and yoghurt, the company also produces fruit juices and drinking water.

Mr Merali said Daima supports 740,000 farmers, who supply the company with 180,000 litres daily.