Bidco Africa
A Kenyan multinational consumer-goods manufacturer with more than 40 brands spanning edible oils, fats, soaps, detergents, personal care, animal feeds, food and beverages.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Bidco Africa is a privately held Kenyan consumer-goods manufacturing group headquartered in Thika. The company began in 1970 as a garment manufacturer founded by Bhimji Depar Shah and gradually moved into household and food products. It entered soap production in 1985 and edible-oil manufacturing in 1991, establishing the product categories that later became central to its business. The group was previously known as Bidco Oil Refineries Limited, or BORL. Bidco expanded through both internal development and acquisitions. Its first reported acquisition was the Elianto unit from Unga Group in 1998. In 2001 it entered Tanzania through Bidco Oil & Soap Ltd in Dar es Salaam. In 2002 it acquired edible-oil and soap brands formerly associated with Unilever’s Kenyan business, including Kimbo and Cowboy. The company subsequently established a manufacturing presence in Uganda, opening the Bidco Uganda complex in Jinja in 2005. Manufacturing operations have also been associated with Kenya and Tanzania, while products are distributed through subsidiaries and commercial partners across a wider African market. The portfolio broadened substantially during the 2010s. Bidco introduced personal-care and beauty products in 2011, followed by additional soaps and liquid detergents in 2013 and further hygiene products in 2014. It also entered animal feeds in 2014, installing a production line reported to have capacity of 100 tonnes per day. A 2016 joint venture with Land O’Lakes created Bidco Land O’Lakes, initially focused on animal feeds for Kenya and intended to serve other East African markets over time. The group later announced investment in noodles, beverages and other food categories as part of a diversification program. Bidco’s principal categories include fats and edible oils, baking products, food and beverages, detergents and laundry soaps, hygiene and personal care, beauty products and animal feeds. Its consumer brands are positioned primarily for broad African markets, with an emphasis on everyday household affordability, distribution reach and locally manufactured products. Kimbo and Elianto are among its best-known edible-oil and cooking-fat brands, while the broader portfolio contains more than 40 brands according to referenced company and media descriptions. The company has manufacturing factories in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda and has reported distribution across 17 African countries. In 2015 it announced an ambition to multiply business volume by 2020 through additional factories in Mozambique, Madagascar and Ethiopia, although the available reference material does not establish which of those plans were completed. In 2017 it announced a five-year diversification and expansion plan reported at approximately US$200 million, including an industrial park in Ruiru, a noodle plant and a beverage facility. In 2019 the BBC described the group’s entry into food and beverages as part of its effort to become a leading East African consumer-goods manufacturer. Bidco remains family owned through Hemby Holdings Limited. The referenced material identifies Bhimji Depar Shah, Vimal Shah and Tarun Shah as members of the owning family and reports that indirect group shareholding was divided equally among them. In 2017 Vimal Shah became executive chairman as the company described a transition from a family-run operation toward more professionally managed multinational structures. Bidco also participates in agricultural-supply initiatives, sports sponsorship and community programs, including partnerships intended to support oilseed farmers and women entrepreneurs. Its history has included public disputes concerning land, labour practices and political allegations; the referenced court, mediation and institutional materials describe several of these matters as dismissed, resolved or not establishing wrongdoing by Bidco.
History
Bidco Africa traces its origins to 1970, when Bhimji Depar Shah established a Kenyan company focused on garment manufacturing. The business diversified into soap in 1985 and edible oils in 1991. These moves shifted the company toward high-volume household consumption categories and laid the foundation for its later regional expansion. In 1998 Bidco acquired the Elianto unit from Unga Group, its first reported acquisition. Regional growth began in 2001 with the establishment of Bidco Oil & Soap Ltd in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The following year Bidco acquired edible-oil and soap brands from Unilever’s Kenyan business, bringing Kimbo and Cowboy into its portfolio. In 2005 it opened the Bidco Uganda Limited complex in Jinja, supplying Uganda and export markets. The company’s manufacturing and distribution model subsequently developed across East, Central and Southern Africa. Bidco expanded beyond oils, fats and laundry products during the 2010s. It entered personal care and beauty in 2011 with Pure and Natural Bar soap. In 2013 it added Nuru premium multipurpose soaps, Power Boy Pro-Activ liquid detergent and Pure and Natural Activ Man. Gaea family bath soap and Germonil personal-hygiene products followed in 2014. That year the company also entered animal feeds and installed a production line reported to have daily capacity of 100 tonnes. In 2016 Bidco announced a partnership with Land O’Lakes, creating Bidco Land O’Lakes. The venture was intended to manufacture animal feeds for Kenya and later serve other East African countries. In 2017 Bidco announced a broader diversification plan involving four plants and a reported investment of approximately US$200 million over five years. The plan included an industrial park in Ruiru, a noodle factory and a beverage plant. Around the same period, Vimal Shah became executive chairman, marking the group’s stated transition from a family-run company toward a more professionally managed multinational. By 2019 the company was described as having more than 40 brands, factories in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, and distribution in 17 African countries. Its categories included animal feeds, fats and edible oils, baking products, food and beverages, detergents and laundry soaps, and hygiene, personal-care and beauty products. Kimbo and Elianto were identified among its fast-moving oil brands. Bidco has also developed agricultural and social-impact initiatives. Partnerships involving the Food and Agriculture Organization, the African Women Entrepreneurship Programme and other organizations were intended to help farmers and women entrepreneurs produce sunflower, soybeans and other inputs under arrangements involving technical assistance and market access. In 2019 Bidco worked with Safaricom and Makueni County on a sunflower value chain supported by DigiFarm depots. The group has also used agricultural residues, including macadamia and coffee husks, as industrial fuel and explored bamboo supply for its factories. The company’s public record includes labour, land and political controversies. Workers in Kenya staged strikes in 2011 and 2015 over conditions, management conduct and wages. A 2017 collective bargaining settlement reportedly provided a 19.5 percent pay increase for unionisable workers. Parliamentary and court processes concerning former employees followed; the referenced 2017 employment judgment found that the separations at issue were by agreement and did not establish unfair termination. In Uganda, environmental and community groups challenged aspects of land and palm-oil activity connected with Bidco Uganda and Oil Palm Uganda Limited. A 2016 High Court ruling cleared Bidco of the alleged breaches, while an IFC-linked mediation process in 2018 produced a compensation framework for farmers. A separate UNDP review criticized aspects of the organization’s partnership process but did not conclude that Bidco had violated or been complicit in human-rights abuses.
- 2017
Diversification plan announced
[1]Bidco announced plans for four plants, including noodle and beverage facilities, within a five-year expansion program.
- 2016
Bidco Land O’Lakes joint venture announced
[1]Bidco and Land O’Lakes announced a venture focused initially on animal feeds.
- 2014
Animal-feed production begins
[1]The company entered animal feeds and installed a production line reported at 100 tonnes of daily capacity.
- 2011
Personal-care launch
[1]Bidco entered personal care and beauty products with Pure and Natural Bar soap.
- 2005
Uganda complex opens
[1]Bidco Uganda opened its Jinja manufacturing complex.
- 2002
Unilever brand acquisition in Kenya
[1]Bidco acquired edible-oil and soap brands, including Kimbo and Cowboy, from Unilever’s Kenyan business.
- 2001
Expansion into Tanzania
[1]Bidco Oil & Soap Ltd was established in Dar es Salaam.
- 1998
First acquisition
[1]Bidco acquired the Elianto unit from Unga Group.
- 1991
Edible-oil manufacturing begins
[1]The company entered edible oils, a category that became central to its portfolio.
- 1985
Entry into soap production
[1]Bidco diversified from garments into soap manufacturing.
Products and positioning
A mass-market African fast-moving consumer-goods manufacturer combining local production, wide distribution and a diversified portfolio of everyday household, food and agricultural products.
Cooking fat and edible oils
Kimbo
Kimbo is one of Bidco’s established household cooking brands. It entered the group through Bidco’s 2002 acquisition of edible-oil and soap brands associated with Unilever’s Kenyan business. The brand is associated primarily with cooking fat and edible-oil consumption in Kenya and other regional markets.
Edible oils
Elianto
Elianto became part of Bidco through the 1998 acquisition of the Elianto unit from Unga Group. It is one of the group’s prominent edible-oil brands and forms part of Bidco’s core food portfolio distributed across African markets.
Cooking fat and soap
Cowboy
Cowboy was among the brands brought into Bidco’s portfolio through the 2002 acquisition of Unilever’s Kenyan edible-oil and soap business. It represents the group’s historical expansion through established household brands.
Laundry soap and detergents · 2013
Nuru
Nuru is a Bidco laundry and household-cleaning line introduced during the company’s 2013 expansion of personal-care, detergent and laundry-soap offerings. The portfolio included premium multipurpose soap products aimed at everyday household use.
Personal care and beauty · 2011
Pure and Natural
Pure and Natural marked Bidco’s entry into personal-care and beauty products. The line began with bar soap in 2011 and was later extended with additional personal-care products, including Pure and Natural Activ Man.
Agricultural products · 2014
Animal feeds
Bidco entered animal feeds in 2014 and subsequently announced Bidco Land O’Lakes, a joint venture intended to manufacture feeds initially for Kenya and potentially for wider East African markets. The category complements the group’s agricultural sourcing and food-manufacturing activities.
Controversies
2016
Parliamentary labour inquiry
Kenya’s National Assembly Labour and Social Welfare Committee considered a petition alleging poor working conditions, unfair dismissals and restrictions involving union membership. Bidco invited the committee to investigate and disputed the allegations. A later employment judgment found no unfair termination in the case described.
2016
UNDP partnership-compliance complaint
A petition concerning UNDP’s association with Bidco in Uganda led to an institutional review. The review criticized aspects of UNDP’s partnership process but expressly did not conclude that Bidco had violated or been complicit in human-rights violations.
2011
Ugandan palm-oil land dispute
Community members and environmental groups alleged land grabbing and related harms connected with palm-oil activities involving Oil Palm Uganda Limited and Bidco Uganda. A 2016 Ugandan High Court ruling cleared Bidco of the alleged environmental and land-related wrongdoing. An IFC-linked mediation process later produced a compensation framework for affected farmers.
2011
Kenyan labour-condition complaints
Approximately 3,000 workers reportedly went on strike over working conditions, alleged harassment and wages. A further strike occurred in 2015. The dispute later proceeded through labour-relations channels and was followed by a collective bargaining settlement.
Marketing campaigns
- 2019Sunflower value-chain partnership
Kenya
Bidco partnered with Safaricom and the Makueni County Government to connect sunflower farmers with quality inputs, technical assistance, financing, insurance and an assured market. Safaricom’s DigiFarm network was to support farmers through local depots.
Outcome. The initiative was presented as a pilot end-to-end county value chain; later performance results are not established in the supplied material.
- 2017Kenya rugby sevens sponsorship
Kenya
Bidco became the official sponsor of Kenya’s men’s rugby sevens team and the Kenya Lionesses women’s rugby sevens team. The three-year partnership supported international tournaments, nutrition programs and rugby development in schools and clubs.
Outcome. The sponsorship provided competition and development support; the reference material does not quantify commercial results.
- Agribusiness opportunities for women and smallholders
Kenya
Bidco worked with the Food and Agriculture Organization and the African Women Entrepreneurship Programme on oilseed opportunities involving women in its supply chain. Related initiatives also involved Vision 2030 Youth Entrepreneurship Programme members and arrangements for sunflower and soybean production.
Outcome. The programs were intended to improve access to inputs, agronomic support and markets; no independently verified outcome figures are provided.
Brand decisions
2017
Diversify into noodles, beverages and additional food categoriesStrategyBackground
Bidco sought to reduce dependence on traditional oils, fats and household products while increasing manufacturing scale.
Action taken
The company announced four new plants and an industrial park in Ruiru, including noodle and beverage facilities.
Aftermath
The strategy supported Bidco’s broader positioning as a diversified African food and consumer-goods manufacturer, although completion of every announced project is not established here.
Reported planned investment. Approximately US$200 million over five years (2017 announcement)
2016
Create Bidco Land O’LakesM&ABackground
Bidco wanted to build its animal-feed business and broaden agricultural manufacturing.
Action taken
Bidco announced a joint venture with Land O’Lakes to produce animal feeds.
Aftermath
The venture was intended to begin in Kenya and later expand into other East African markets.
2002
Acquire Unilever’s Kenyan oil and soap brandsM&ABackground
Bidco aimed to strengthen its position in Kenyan household staples.
Action taken
Bidco acquired brands including Kimbo and Cowboy from Unilever’s Kenyan edible-oil and soap business.
Aftermath
The transaction expanded Bidco’s brand portfolio and regional consumer-goods presence.
1998
Acquire the Elianto unitM&ABackground
Bidco sought to expand its edible-oil portfolio through its first reported acquisition.
Action taken
The company acquired the Elianto unit from Unga Group.
Aftermath
Elianto became one of Bidco’s established edible-oil brands.
Recent events
- 2019
BBC reports Bidco’s expansion into food and beverages[2]
Product launch
The BBC described Bidco’s food-and-beverage expansion as a step in its effort to become a leading East African consumer-goods manufacturer.
- 2019
Bidco partners with Safaricom and Makueni on sunflower farming[1]
Campaign
The partnership aimed to connect sunflower farmers with inputs, technical support, finance, insurance and a guaranteed market for oilseed production.
- 2017
Bidco outlines a major diversification program[1]
Product launch
The group announced plans for four new plants, including facilities for noodles and beverages, within a reported five-year investment program.
- 2017
Vimal Shah becomes executive chairman[1]
Leadership change
Vimal Shah assumed the executive-chairman role as Bidco described a move toward a more professionally managed multinational structure.
- 2017
Bidco sponsors Kenya rugby sevens teams[1]
Campaign
Bidco was announced as sponsor of the Kenya men’s sevens team and Kenya Lionesses women’s sevens team, including support for competition, nutrition and grassroots rugby development.
- 2016
Bidco and Land O’Lakes form animal-feed venture[1]
M&A · Product launch
Bidco announced a joint venture with Land O’Lakes to produce animal feeds initially for Kenya and potentially for wider East African markets.
- 2015
Bidco announces plan to expand manufacturing footprint[1]
Other
The company announced an ambition to quadruple business volume by 2020 and discussed factories in Mozambique, Madagascar and Ethiopia in addition to existing regional operations.
Sources2 sources
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