Flavian Obiero, 35, has turned a childhood fascination with livestock into a thriving integrated agribusiness in Fareham, a small town in Hampshire, southern England.
He has built a 61-acre pig farm, a butchery, a catering business and a thriving wholesale meat operation.
Obiero grew up in Kilifi, where he helped neighbours herd cattle. A deeper influence on the animal world came during visits to relatives in Kikuyu, where his uncle and aunt reared pigs, and another family member who had mastered the art of running a profitable pig enterprise.
His family relocated to the UK when he was just 15, in 2006. The transition, he says, was easy because he was still very young.
‘I did not struggle with the change as I think I would, had I relocated at a much older age. I think children find it easier to cope with change because, unlike adults, they don’t have too much to hold on to back at home.’
His entry into agriculture in England came through an opportunity while he was still in school.
‘I secured an opportunity to spend one week working on a mixed farm with a pig enterprise. Even before the placement ended, the farm owner offered me a permanent job. Since then, I’ve always worked in farming.’
He enrolled for a Bachelor of Science in Animal Management at Sparsholt College and graduated in 2014.
‘Even before I graduated, I got an offer as an Assistant Pig Unit Manager at another agricultural college.’
Between 2014 and 2017, he immersed himself in commercial pig production while teaching agriculture students on the side.
‘Being only a few years older than my students made teaching a bit more natural because the knowledge was still fresh in my mind.’
Besides handling livestock, he learnt breeding systems, budgeting, staff supervision and the operational discipline required to run large-scale pig enterprises.
He resigned in 2017 when he felt he had reached a plateau.
‘I joined a livestock feed company to the surprise of many people. To me, this was another opportunity to understand the economics of commercial farming from a different perspective. Feed accounts for one of the highest costs in pig production, and working for a feed manufacturer gave me insight into livestock nutrition, formulation and commercial sales.’
However, he did not settle into his new role as he had expected. ‘I missed the job satisfaction of working on a farm.’ In 2018, an opportunity arose to return to his previous employer. He readily accepted it.
‘I initially went back as Assistant Manager after missing out on the top position. Ironically, I found myself training the very person who had been hired above me.’
He planned to spend the next five years further developing his career before considering self-employment. He assumed the full managerial role months later when the position fell vacant.
Terrifying plunge
Barely two years in, a friend alerted him about a farmland that was available for lease. Out of curiosity, he submitted an application.
‘The process involved preparing a detailed business plan, financial projections and interviews. Several months later, my wife and I were offered the tenancy on a 61-acre farm in Fareham.’
To get started, the two secured a £25,000 (Sh4.4 million) bank loan. The money paid for a Toyota Hilux pickup, a livestock trailer, fencing materials, the first pigs and other equipment needed to launch the business.
Much of the fencing was installed by Obiero himself using improvised methods because specialist equipment was beyond his budget.
“When you’re working for someone else, the infrastructure is already there. Here we had the land and nothing else.’
From zero to 74
Before the business could find its footing, his business plan would change dramatically. His original proposal had been to purchase six breeding females and slowly build a commercial herd. Instead, another farmer unexpectedly needed to dispose of 74 pigs at an attractive price. Obiero abandoned his original projections overnight.
“We went from zero to 74 pigs overnight.’
The decision to acquire the pigs accelerated the business much faster than he had anticipated, but it also exposed a harsh commercial reality. Owning pigs alone was not enough to guarantee a sustainable business. Like many livestock farmers, he quickly discovered that production generated relatively thin margins while operating costs remained stubbornly high. ‘I asked myself where else we could earn money from the same animal.’
Around the same time, a catering business specialising in whole-roast pigs came onto the market after its owner decided to leave the country. He acquired the business together with its equipment, customer database and goodwill. Admittedly, a very transformational purchase.
“If it wasn’t for having the catering business, we would have gone bust within the first year.’
His initial plan relied solely on livestock sales. The catering business, however, could now earn him higher margins by serving festivals, weddings, corporate events and private functions. More importantly, the catering business became a ready market for his own pigs.
Second leap of faith
He took another leap of faith about a year later when he took another loan to acquire a butchery, giving him much more control over processing and retail.
This move completed the value chain, allowing him to rear pigs, process the meat, sell directly to customers and supply restaurants without depending entirely on intermediaries.
The farm has 140 pigs of different ages, including 12 breeding sows and three breeding boars. It also keeps goats, sheep and chickens that either generate additional income or support the wider farming system.
His farm processes between three and five pigs every week.
‘Currently, we supply two restaurants as well as directly sell to consumers through the butchery, farmers’ markets and online orders.’ The product range has expanded beyond fresh pork to include bacon and sausages, with artisanal salami expected to join the range soon.
The top revenue driver
Interestingly, it is the catering arm that has become the business’s biggest revenue generator. “The catering business is probably the most successful enterprise we’ve got.’ He notes that he is already booked months in advance for private and corporate events.
The business remains in its investment phase, according to him, despite the impressive growth. He employs one part-time worker on the farm and receives occasional help during larger catering events, but almost every pound earned goes straight back into expansion. “I don’t even pay myself a wage at the moment, but we are almost there.”
Most valuable lesson
For aspiring entrepreneurs, particularly in agriculture, Obiero says, that may be the most valuable lesson of all. ‘Building a successful enterprise is not always about finding a new product. Sometimes, it is about discovering more ways to create value from the one you already have.’
What does the future look like for his business?
‘I want customers to travel to the farm not just to buy pork but to experience it. Our vision includes an eatery serving premium pork dishes, an on-site farm shop selling value-added products and, eventually, replicating the integrated business model in Kenya. I’d love to replicate this in Kenya.’
How does a young man run a profitable business and build a family at the same time miles away from home?
‘The secret is to be open to learning. My approach is not to look at things as the only authority in my field. I subject myself to learning even as I teach others. Every opportunity presents a learning chance, and I take that seriously. In terms of parenting, we are raising our son to appreciate both cultures – something my wife is very particular about. He learns sign language in school and is getting very good at it; my mother sings to him in Kikuyu while I try to speak to him in Dholuo and Swahili. A young mind such as his can learn quite a lot as I have discovered.’