Scaling with Purpose: How BDS Boosted Hatches Limited
Introduction
Founded in 2003, Hatches Ltd is a family-owned agribusiness in Uganda making its mark in poultry breeding, grain processing and sustainable agriculture. Known for producing high-quality day-old chicks and animal feeds, the company is innovating through Black Soldier Fly (BSF) farming and turning organic waste into protein-rich feed and organic fertilizer. Hatches is working to scale its operations, enter new markets, and fully commercialize its BSF unit anchored in the context of green growth and climate-smartness. Thanks to aBi Development-sponsored BDS through FRIENDS Consult, improvements are showing.
The Challenge
Like other such concern, Hatches Ltd faced some constraints. Inadequate storage infrastructure, inadequate internal systems and limited access to finance all needed addressing. To realize its ambitions, Hatches needed support in both strategic direction and operational aspects so as to access financing.
The Intervention
To address the challenges, aBi Development engaged FRIENDS Consult Ltd through its pilot Business Advisory Services Providers (BASP) program. The goal was to strengthen Hatches Ltd’s internal systems, enhance operational efficiency, and improve its readiness for investment and sustainable expansion.
What FRIENDS Consult Did
FCL delivered a tailored package of BDS that included: 1) a strategic growth plan with realistic financial projections b) establishing quality control systems guided by a practical Quality Manual 3) developing investor-focused financial proposals and pitch decks 4) providing transactional advisory to structure funding opportunities. These efforts positioned Hatches Ltd as a credible, investment-ready agribusiness.
Early Outcomes
The company is now well directed, thanks to the strategic plan and business plans developed as part of the BDS. Quality control is now documented, which has made processes more streamlined and “green”. FCL has also worked with Hatches to present financing proposals, and to select the best offer.
Conclusion
The support from FRIENDS Consult under aBi’s BASP program has been vital for Hatches Ltd’s strengthening of internal capacity, investment readiness and in unlocking its growth potential. This case illustrates the transformative role of Business Advisory Services (BAS) in helping agribusinesses overcome barriers, build resilience, and become investment-ready. For Uganda’s agribusiness sector, BAS is not just support it’s a catalyst for sustainable, inclusive, and scalable impact.
Joseph Sserunjogi – Senior Projects Officer (FCL)