Kumbatia Seafood
Kumbatia Seafood is on a mission to offer world-class seafood that conserves East Africa’s marine ecosystems and lifts its artisanal fishing communities out of poverty.
For most communities on the Swahili Coast of East Africa, market access is minimal, seafood buying prices are low, input costs are high, and destructive fishing practices are common. While artisanal harvesters have demonstrated a willingness to fish more responsibly, interventions aimed at increasing sustainability have historically led to unchanged or even diminished income for fishers. As a result, illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing persists and coastal poverty in countries like Kenya remains above 60%.
By training on Japanese fish handling methods, financing and reducing fishing trip expenses, implementing an efficient off-grid cold chain and traceability system from boat to processing facility, and working off a privatised fisheries management model as defined by its partner NGOs, Kumbatia empowers its network of small-scale fishers by giving them the skills and resources required to easily produce sustainable seafood of world-class quality. Seafood of this caliber possesses higher demand than that which has historically been harvested from Kenya’s waters. The result is that fishers who commit to conservation and quality will greatly increase their earnings and reduce their expenses by working with Kumbatia. This unique training, financing, cold-chain logistics, and market-based conservation incentive model creates an environment that financially rewards best practices. The result is luxury-grade seafood, enhanced sustainability, and improved livelihoods for artisanal fishing communities along East Africa’s Swahili coast.
At A Glance
- Supplying to
- Our Mission
We’re on a mission to become the most respected seafood company in Africa. We aim to do this by offering the continent’s highest quality seafood products and by having its best environmental sustainability and social impact record.
- Livelihoods
Kumbatia’s unique training, financing, logistics, and market-based conservation model creates an environment and incentive structure that results in world-class seafood, improved marine conservation, and enhanced livelihoods for artisanal fishing communities along East Africa’s Swahili coast.
—We're incredibly happy to work with IPNLF to have access to their expertise as well as being part of the global IPNLF business network which enables us to expand our reach.
Our Fishery
Company Policies and Reports
Fisheries Improvement Toolbox (FIT) Engagement
IPNLF Social Responsibility
For most communities on the Swahili Coast, market access is minimal, input costs are high, seafood buying prices are low, and destructive fishing practices are common. While artisanal harvesters have demonstrated a willingness to fish more responsibly, interventions aimed at increasing sustainability have historically led to unchanged or even diminished income for fishers. As a result, harmful fishing practices persist and coastal Kenya’s poverty rate remains above 60%.
By training harvesters on industry-best fish handling methods, financing and reducing fishing trip expenses, and implementing an efficient off-grid cold chain from boat to processing facility, Kumbatia empowers its network of fishers by giving them the skills and resources required to produce traceable and sustainable seafood of world-class quality. Seafood of this caliber has much higher demand and value than that which has historically been harvested from Kenya’s waters, meaning sustainability and quality compliant fishers are able to greatly increase their earnings and reduce their expenses by working with Kumbatia.