CMA marks 25 years, debuts fresh identity to reflect Kenya’s unified cereals value chain

KENYA – The Cereal Millers Association (CMA) of Kenya commemorated its 25th anniversary and end-of-year gala dinner on December 2 at the Sarit Center in Nairobi, unveiling a transformative logo redesign that symbolizes the organization’s evolution and inclusivity.

The event, attended by government officials, industry partners, and stakeholders, featured over 60 companies, including millers, processors, and traders, highlighting the association’s representation of the entire value chain.

Speaking during the celebrations, Paloma Fernandes, CMA CEO, described the association’s history as one of perseverance amid challenges such as shifting regulations, droughts, shortages, subsidy issues, COVID-19 disruptions, currency fluctuations, and global food system instabilities.

“CMA has remained the anchor through all these storms,” she asserted, highlighting advocacy efforts for fair play, a predictable business environment, fortification programs, aflatoxin mitigation, and enhanced food safety standards that protect millions of Kenyan consumers.

CMA Chairman Beju Shah echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the organization’s progress despite headwinds such as rising operational costs, sector-specific bans on foreign property invaders, duplicative regulations, pending subsidy payments totaling more than KES3.2B and port delays.

He noted key accomplishments, including hosting the Cabinet Secretary at the annual general meeting, securing commitments on urgent issues through engagements with the Ministry of Trade and Investment, and collaborating with agencies such as the Kenya Bureau of Standards and the Agriculture Food Authority to achieve favorable rate structures and transparent frameworks.

“Despite these shocks CMA remained respectful, united and solution-oriented, securing commitments from government agencies to resolve long-standing bottlenecks affecting competitiveness and food safety in Kenya’s grains sector,” he said.

Shah highlighted the expansion of the Kenya Millers Fortification Index, now adopted by the edible oil sector, and the forthcoming Kenya Aflatoxin Free Initiative to eliminate aflatoxins from the food system.

Partnerships, such as with TechnoServe for last-mile distribution of fortified flour, were cited as critical to improving nutrition and market access.

Shah also praised the wheat and maize task forces for their leadership in negotiations and strategy.

Logo rebrand: Embracing diversity and modernity

During the 25-year silver jubilee celebrations, CEO Fernandes announced that the association now debuts a new logo, describing the transformation as a defining moment in CMA’s growth from a small lobby of millers into one of Kenya’s most influential voices in food security and food safety.

Unveiling the new look, Fernandes explained that the previous logo with wheat-focused imagery, while effective for many years, no longer adequately reflected the diverse membership of the CMA.

“Our membership represents wheat millers, maize millers, rice millers, cereal and pulse processors, and traders,” she stated.

“The new stylized ‘M’ is intentionally designed to resemble an inclusive cereal plant, drawing inspiration from maize leaves, wheat heads, sorghum, and the wider family of grains we handle daily,” She added.

The shift, according to her, underscores the association’s commitment to unity across the cereals value chain, moving beyond a wheat-centric focus to encompass all stakeholders.

Fernandes also noted the retention of the organization’s core colors to maintain continuity, while adopting a modern, professional aesthetic suitable for digital applications, packaging, reports, and events.

Looking ahead, the CMA announced ambitious initiatives to bolster its impact. Starting January 1, 2026, the association will launch a National Food Safety Awareness Campaign to promote compliant, safe products.

Additionally, a consultant has been commissioned to develop a sustainability and investment model for the CMA Quality Mark, an initiative expected to significantly bolster consumer trust.

Raphael Agung, NCBA Group’s global markets business expert, expressed profound gratitude to the CMA Secretariat for co-sponsoring the 25th anniversary celebration, congratulating the association for safeguarding Kenya’s food security.

He reassured millers that the currency crisis is effectively managed, with no dollar shortages anticipated, and projected stability in the dollar-shilling exchange rate amid minimal demand pressures.

NCBA reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the agribusiness sector and its readiness to collaborate in addressing CMA’s requirements.  

In his closing remarks, Chairman Shah called for a forward-looking association that prioritizes informed consumers, food safety as a national imperative, fair competition, innovation, and a unified voice grounded in integrity.

“The Kenya of tomorrow will demand more from all of us. But am confident in CMA’s ability to meet these demands through continued collaboration,”he said.

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