For Irene Ikarede Etyang, building a resilient and inclusive food system in Kenya has never been about innovation alone. It’s about structure, strategy, and systems that scale. As a trailblazer in Africa’s food ecosystem, Irene is driving innovation, economic inclusion, and gender equity through sustainable food processing.

As the founder of Mamlo Foods Ltd, she is revolutionizing Africa’s peanut value chain through a Micro-Factory model that localizes processing near peanut-growing regions. This model reduces waste, lowers costs, and ensures that value addition remains within farming communities.

At its core, the model empowers marginalized women smallholder farmers, fostering sustainable economic growth and strengthening food security.

Building Impact from the Ground Up

Irene’s journey in food entrepreneurship began in 2019, when she launched a food enterprise producing porridge flours and millet-based snacks from indigenous grains sourced from women farmers.

Recognizing the opportunity to deepen her impact, she pioneered the Micro-Factory model in 2024, which is focused on improving efficiency, increasing farmers’ earnings, and ensuring fair pricing. To date, this model has impacted over 100 smallholder farmers through:

• Market access
• Fair trade practices
• Capacity-building initiatives

From Potential to Structure

When Irene joined the Leading African Women in Food Fellowship (LAWFF), Mamlo Foods Ltd was already on a growth trajectory.

What the fellowship provided was something deeper: clarity, structure, and leadership acceleration. It marked the shift from a promising enterprise to one built for scale.

Turning Strategy into Measurable Growth

The results speak for themselves.

“Since completing the LAWFF Fellowship, we have seen clear, measurable outcomes. Our revenues have increased by 30%, reflecting a stronger operational focus and market positioning. We were awarded the Arrell Global Food Innovation Award, which significantly elevated our global visibility and credibility. We also secured a strategic partnership with Tailored Food, expanding our capacity to scale and reach new markets.”

A 30% revenue increase signals more than financial growth; it reflects sharper strategy, improved systems, and stronger market positioning. Receiving the Arrell Global Food Innovation Award further positioned Mamlo Foods Ltd on the global stage, validating both its innovation and impact.

For Irene, these milestones were not isolated wins. They marked a turning point, shifting Mamlo Foods Ltd from early-stage growth to structured, scalable expansion, positioning the enterprise as investment-ready, equipped with stronger systems and deeper community integration.

The LAWFF Effect

LAWFF played a direct role in this transformation.

“LAWFF sharpened our strategy and leadership approach, directly contributing to improved financial performance and expanded reach. The fellowship helped refine our growth model, strengthen partnerships, and communicate our value more effectively to stakeholders.”

This clarity translated into:

• Increased revenue
• Global recognition
• Stronger partnerships
• Expanded impact

Beyond Business: A Leadership Transformation

Beyond the numbers, the transformation was deeply personal.

“LAWFF has been catalytic. It accelerated our growth, strengthened our leadership confidence, and positioned our work on a global stage. Beyond skills and tools, it provided a powerful peer network and ecosystem that continues to open doors. The fellowship helped transform our vision into a scalable pathway.”

Today, Irene leads a stronger, globally visible enterprise. One grounded in structured growth, community impact, and scalable innovation.

Powering Impact Through Partnership

The impact of the LAWFF program is made possible through the support of partners like the Skoll Foundation, whose commitment to advancing social innovation continues to empower women across Africa’s food systems.

Through this support, LAWFF is equipping women not just with knowledge, but with the tools, networks, and visibility required to build globally competitive, impact-driven enterprises.