Farmer's Choice targets women, youth in plans to grow smokie vendor base
Enterprise
By
Selina Mutua
| Mar 10, 2026
Farmer’s Choice has announced plans to expand its smokie vendor network from 50,000 to 150,000 vendors
This, the firm said, will significantly scale entrepreneurship opportunities for women and youth across the country.
The announcement was made during an International Women’s Day breakfast hosted by the company for over 80 female smokie vendors at The Mark Vintage Hotel.
The event recognised the critical role that smokie vendors play in connecting communities with high-quality, nutritious, safe, and affordable protein, while strengthening last-mile distribution within the meat value chain.
In a statement, the firm said the planned expansion will be driven through the Be Your Own Boss (BYOB) initiative, a program designed to economically empower aspiring entrepreneurs by providing fully kitted smokie vending trolleys at a subsidised cost of Sh10,000.
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The initiative, the firm said, also provides vendors with the necessary resources and support to establish and sustain their businesses.
Since its launch, the program has empowered more than 50,000 vendors across the country, creating opportunities for thousands of women and young people to build sustainable livelihoods and support their families.
“By expanding the network to 150,000 vendors, Farmer’s Choice aims to further strengthen its farm-to-table ecosystem while promoting inclusive economic participation,” read part of the statement.
It said that through programs such as BYOB, it seeks to support entrepreneurship-led economic empowerment, enabling individuals to generate income while contributing to local food distribution networks.
“The initiative also promotes sustainable micro-enterprises within communities, helping to strengthen economic participation and expand access to affordable protein products,” the statement read.
By investing in entrepreneurship and last-mile distribution, the firm said it continues to reinforce its commitment to inclusive growth, community empowerment, and building a resilient and trusted meat value chain across the country.