Faith Mwende is the founder of Sea Ventures, a start-up focused on reutilizing discarded fish waste to produce high-quality organic animal feeds and fertilizers.
Trading under the brand name, Zuri Feeds, the company collaborates closely with the fisher folk community, including fishermen and fish vendors.
Mwende and her team collects fish waste from these sources and converts them to animal feeds, addressing post-harvest losses in the fish market.
Here is her story as told by WoK.
Mwende’s journey in sustainable feed production started when she became aware of the amount of waste produced during fish processing.
In 2022, she founded her company, Sea Ventures, and started processing sustainable feeds under the brand name, Zuri Feeds.
“After months of prototyping, refining and overcoming hurdles, we achieved a breakthrough in November 2022. This marked a significant turning point, solidifying our steadfast commitment to repurposing fish waste,” she said.
By turning the fish waste into protein, Sea Ventures formulates complete feed for pigs, aquaculture, poultry and pets.
The process starts with collecting and preserving fish waste.
Mwende works with major fish suppliers including fishermen, fish processing companies, fish vendors and Beach Management Units (BMUs).
After collecting, the waste is later transported to the company’s processing facility where it is either dried or loaded onto the crushing machine.
“Our process includes pelletisation of the product, which is subsequently packaged, stored, and ultimately brought to market
“On average, we collect between one to three tonnes of fish waste per week, with the flexibility to receive larger quantities when conditions permit,” Mwende said.
Although they are yet to be certified, Mwende says they follow standardised guidelines from the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) to ensure the quality and nutritional value of their feeds.
“Our formulations are tailored to meet the specific standards required for each type of animal, whether it’s fish, poultry or pets,” she said.
Additionally, the company conducts effectiveness tests from time to time.
“These tests are carried out at reputable institutions such Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO) in Naivasha and in collaboration with the Kenya Marine Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI) for in-depth analysis,” Mwende added.
Just like any other start-ups, Mwende has also faced challenges which include the scarcity and high cost of machinery as well as lack of proper storage equipments.
Additionally, perishability of fish waster is also a challenge that Sea Ventures has to deal with.
“While we actively work to address these challenges, the high demand from the market remains a testament to the effectiveness and appeal of our products,” she said.
