Rapid Review of Kenyan Alternative Proteins Sector Report
This Innovate UK Global Alliance Africa report summarises the current trends, opportunities, and gaps in the alternative protein industry in Kenya. It also highlights collaboration and technology commercialisation opportunities for UK and Kenyan businesses focusing on plant-based, fermentation-derived (including traditional and biomass fermentation), and edible insect alternative proteins.
This report by Innovate UK Global Alliance Africa provides a rapid review of the Kenyan alternative protein sector for human consumption. It summarises current trends, opportunities, and gaps in the alternative protein industry in Kenya. It also highlights collaboration and technology commercialisation opportunities for UK and Kenyan businesses. The review focuses on three key categories of alternative proteins considered feasible in Kenya: plant-based, fermentation-derived (including traditional and biomass fermentation), and edible insects.
Kenya’s food system is under increasing pressure from climate change, population growth, and economic volatility, exacerbating food insecurity, malnutrition, and resource scarcity.
Protein consumption in Kenya has fallen significantly below recommended levels, with rural areas experiencing up to an 80% protein gap. Addressing these challenges requires urgent innovation to provide affordable, high-quality, accessible protein sources to meet growing demand and reduce dependence on resource-intensive, inefficient animal-sourced foods (ASF).
The benefits of including alternative proteins in diets would have far-reaching positive impacts. These include improved soil health and biodiversity, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and reduced spread of zoonotic diseases while enabling adaptive, climate-resilient agricultural practices. Increasingly, leading global institutions such as FAO, CGIAR and the World Bank are recognising the potential of alternative proteins to transform our food system and provide nutrient-dense solutions to malnutrition and food insecurity. However, scaling these industries faces cultural, structural, and economic challenges.
Read this report to learn about:
- Kenya’s food system and the role of alternative proteins in creating a more inclusive, sustainable, productive, resilient and nutritious food system.
- Alternative proteins challenges and opportunities across the ecosystem.
- The key stages of the alternative proteins food value chain including production, processing, retail, and consumer consumption.
About Global Alliance Africa
The Global Alliance Africa project is a six-year project funded by UK International Development through Innovate UK (GCRF) and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
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Related programmes
UK-Kenya Alternative Proteins Global Innovation Network
Delivered by Innovate UK Global Alliance Africa, this Global Innovation Network will tackle the dual challenge of rising protein demand and environmental concerns by fostering collaboration and innovation to foster sustainable and healthy alternatives, promoting economic growth, sustainability, and resilient food systems.
AgriFood Africa Connect
Innovate UK AgriFood Africa Connect brought innovative people and organisations across the UK and Africa together to develop solutions for the sustainable management of AgriFood systems in Africa.
Global Alliance Africa
Launched in 2019, Innovate UK Global Alliance Africa is an UK International Development initiative, funded by the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The programme aims to build stronger equitable UK-African partnerships to maximise the creation of inclusive market access, funding and investment opportunities, and collaborative innovation between the UK, Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya.