Dei Group’s new flour brand targets both industrial, household consumers in Uganda

UGANDA — Ugandan conglomerate Dei Group has officially launched its latest product line, Bella Wheat Grain, a locally manufactured wheat flour brand designed for both commercial and domestic use. 

The launch, held at the Sheraton Hotel in Kampala, introduces two variants of the flour—Bakers’ Flour and Home Baking Flour—targeted at bread producers and home cooks respectively.

Dei Group, which operates across four sectors—mineral extraction, pharmaceuticals, technology, and industry—says the new flour brand aligns with national goals to strengthen agro-processing and reduce dependence on food imports. 

The group currently operates wheat processing facilities in Matugga and Kampala, as well as a maize processing plant in the Wakiso District, with an annual wheat flour production capacity of 150,000 metric tons.

Flour designed for yield and efficiency

According to the company, Bella Wheat Grain is formulated to deliver higher yields per unit of flour, with a water absorption capacity that allows bakers and home users to produce more dough from the same quantity of flour. 

Ronald Ssemakula Katali, General Manager of Dei Group, said the flour increases dough yield by up to 25% compared to conventional flours.

“If a 50-kilogram bag of ordinary flour produces two jerrycans of dough, Bella Grain will give you two and a half,” Katali stated at the event. 

“That’s added value in commercial baking and home use alike.”

He also noted that the flour meets and surpasses national regulatory benchmarks, with a moisture content below the 13.5% limit set by the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS). 

A lower moisture content, according to the company, helps maintain product integrity while reducing spoilage risks during storage and transportation.

Reentry into flour market after rebranding

The Bella Wheat Grain brand is being produced under Dei Industries International Ltd, a subsidiary of Dei Group that handles the group’s food processing operations. 

The company previously operated in the wheat flour sector but rebranded as part of its renewed push into the market.

“We’ve been producing wheat flour for 10 years,” said Ms. Kellen Magoola, Executive Director of Dei Group. 

“This time, we’re reentering with better capacity, updated production standards, and a deeper understanding of the market.”

Ahead of the launch, the company deployed a 50-member marketing team across Uganda to conduct a nationwide survey. 

The team engaged consumers in all regions to gather feedback on preferences, expectations, and awareness of flour quality benchmarks. Katali said the findings informed product development and packaging design.

Production capacity and broader industrial strategy

Dei Group’s investments in wheat milling are part of its wider industrial strategy to expand its footprint in Uganda’s food processing landscape. 

The flour business complements its other ventures, including Dei Organics and Dei Biopharma Ltd—the latter touted as Africa’s largest pharmaceutical manufacturing facility.

Dr. Mathias Magoola, Managing Director of Dei Group, noted during the launch that the group’s growth has been rooted in its early flour trade, which began at a retail outlet in Tirupati Mall. He attributed the company’s current trajectory to early customer support and a favorable business environment.

“We aspire to become Uganda’s largest taxpayer and to create over 40,000 jobs in the years ahead,” Magoola said. 

“This flour brand is one of the steps toward achieving that.”

Government support and sector outlook

Dr. Magoola also acknowledged the role of government policy in shaping Uganda’s industrial environment. He cited regulatory support, infrastructure, and access to industrial land as key enablers for private sector growth.

The launch of Bella Wheat Grain comes as Uganda’s population, estimated at nearly 48 million, places increasing demand on the domestic food supply. 

The local wheat flour market has seen volatility in both pricing and supply reliability, with gaps often filled by imported products. Stakeholders have emphasized the need to build local capacity to mitigate foreign exchange pressures and improve food security.

Dei Group’s entry into the sector with a large-scale flour product could potentially shift competitive dynamics, especially among processors operating in central Uganda and neighboring regions. 

The company is expected to distribute Bella Wheat Grain through retail and wholesale channels in both urban and peri-urban markets.