From 30 Trays to 10,000 Weekly: How 26-Year-Old Yvonne Built Her Egg Distribution Empire

At just 22 years old, Yvonne Makena took a bold step that would later turn into a successful egg distribution business.

While studying at the Technical University of Kenya, she started Milimani Eggs and Hatchery Point in 2022 using Sh8,000 she had earned while working as an Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) clerk.

Makena used the money to purchase her first 30 trays of eggs, hoping to make a profit by selling them to customers.

With no established shop at the time, she turned a room at her church into her first business location.

She travelled by matatu on her first day of business and managed to sell all 30 trays.

She had bought each tray at Sh300 and sold it at Sh400, making a gross margin of Sh100 per tray before meeting other expenses.

The business started growing faster than she had expected. Within one month, her working capital had increased to approximately Sh60,000, allowing her to purchase about 150 trays.

Seven months later, rising demand pushed her to move from the church room to a roadside shop.

One of the biggest turning points came after she shared a post on Facebook. The post attracted a supermarket supplier who was looking for white eggs, which were difficult to find at the time.

Although Makena had initially been dealing in brown eggs, she took a chance and accepted 150 trays of white eggs that a farmer had left over.

The decision opened doors to bigger orders and helped her grow her working capital.

Today, Milimani Eggs and Hatchery Point distributes between 8,000 and 10,000 trays every week through its depots in Kitengela and Mlolongo.

The business serves wholesalers, retailers and institutions, sourcing most of its eggs from farmers in Kajiado and Machakos counties.

She works with three major suppliers alongside several smaller farmers to maintain the supply needed to serve her growing customer base.

Her business has also adopted different sales strategies depending on the size and location of customers.

Buyers collecting eggs from her shop must purchase at least five trays, while delivery orders have higher minimum quantities.

Customers around Mlolongo must order at least 50 trays for delivery, while those in distant areas such as Kasarani, Ngong and Rongai need to order at least 300 trays.

Makena says egg prices change depending on supply and demand. Prices can rise when schools reopen because institutions and households increase their purchases.

Currently, smaller trays sell for around Sh390, while larger ones go for approximately Sh435.

Social media has played an important role in expanding her customer base. TikTok brings in regular retail customers, generating more than five new inquiries daily, while Facebook attracts wholesalers, institutional buyers and large supply orders.

Through Facebook, she has managed to secure orders ranging between 4,000 and 5,000 trays, showing how online platforms can help small businesses reach major customers.

However, running an egg distribution business comes with significant expenses.

Fuel for delivery vehicles alone costs more than Sh30,000 daily, while workers must also be paid for loading and unloading deliveries.

Despite the high operating costs, Makena says the business earns between Sh250,000 and Sh300,000 monthly after expenses.

She estimates that an operation of a similar scale requires at least Sh1 million in working capital.

Transport has also exposed the business to serious financial risks. Last year, a vehicle carrying approximately 1,400 trays of eggs to Kisumu was involved in an accident.

The incident resulted in a loss exceeding Sh600,000, with no recovery.

She has also warned other traders about online fraud involving people posing as egg suppliers.

Some advertise unusually low prices, including Sh290 and Sh340 per tray, to attract buyers before disappearing after receiving payments.

According to her, unsuspecting traders can lose between Sh200,000 and Sh300,000 through such deals.

She cautions business owners against sending money to suppliers without verifying their identity and operations.

Beyond business, Makena graduated with a degree in Psychology in 2024.

Although she has not pursued a professional career in the field, she says her education has helped her understand customer behaviour, handle complaints and maintain good relationships with people.

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