Kenyan billionaire Vimal Shah’s Bidco, Egyptian Swiss Group eye food market expansion

Bidco Africa, the Kenyan food and consumer goods giant chaired by billionaire Vimal Shah, is in talks with Egypt’s Swiss Group over a potential partnership aimed at expanding their reach across East and Central Africa.

Shah traveled to Cairo last week for meetings at the Egyptian company’s headquarters. Both sides said the discussions focused on combining their strengths in food processing and fast-moving consumer goods to tap new markets and improve supply chains.

Expanding industrial ties between Kenya and Egypt

Ahmed El Sebaie, general manager of Egyptian Swiss Group, called the talks an important step toward deepening commercial ties between the two countries.

“The visit of Mr. Vimal Shah to our Cairo headquarters reflects the growing strength of industrial relations between Egypt and Kenya,” El Sebaie said. He added that combining Swiss Group’s experience in pasta and concentrates with Bidco’s reach in FMCG could produce better value for consumers and boost competitiveness.

The talks underscore a broader shift among African producers seeking to strengthen regional supply chains and reduce dependence on imports.

Bidco’s growth drive across the continent

Shah said the cooperation would support Bidco’s ambition to become Africa’s largest food exporter by 2030. “Our talks laid a foundation for integrating our capabilities, enabling expansion not only in Kenya but across regional markets,” he said.

Based in Thika, near Nairobi, Bidco is one of East Africa’s largest consumer-goods companies. Each day, Bidco’s trucks fan out to more than 100,000 shops and kiosks, dropping off staples that range from edible oils and soaps to noodles, juices and detergents. The company employs about 4,500 people and supports roughly 11,000 more through its value chains — including thousands of smallholder farmers growing sunflower and soybeans.

To scale responsibly, Bidco has poured money into cleaner production, adding bioenergy units, closed-loop water recycling and other upgrades meant to cut its footprint while lifting output.

Complementary strengths point to wider regional reach

For Egyptian Swiss Group, a tie-up would open doors across East and Central Africa, with Kenya as the launch pad. The group runs two mills with a combined capacity of about 30,000 tons a month, a pasta line turning out roughly 8,000 tons a month, and a tomato-paste facility rated near 3,000 tons monthly. More than 80% of its products are exported to Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the United States.

Industry observers say combining Bidco’s distribution network with Swiss Group’s production expertise could help both companies compete more effectively with global food manufacturers in an increasingly competitive African market.

The talks remain exploratory, but both sides describe the early discussions as promising.