Chicken Inn Owner Posts 76% Interim Profit Surge, Kenya Volumes Rise 12%

Simbisa Brands' Kenyan operations delivered an 8% increase in US dollar revenue for the six months ended 31 December 2025, as customer volumes rose 12% year on year

• •The average spend in US dollar terms declined 4% year on year, as the company intensified promotional activity to drive footfall, betting on the volume uplift to compensate for the per-transaction decline.
• •Delivery orders grew 60% compared to the prior year period, building on a channel that already accounts for approximately 22% of Kenya revenue, with a medium-term target of 30%.
• •The company operates the Chicken Inn, Pizza Inn, Creamy Inn, Baker's Inn and Galito's brands across nine markets on the continent.

The Kenyan store network, the group's second largest market by store count, expanded to 259 active outlets as at 31 December 2025, after 9 new openings and 5 closures over the twelve months. Eleven stores were refurbished during the period. The brand mix in Kenya spans Chicken Inn (63 outlets), Pizza Inn (74 outlets) and Galito's (36 outlets) among others, with the portfolio tilting toward chicken and pizza as the highest demand categories.

At the group level, Simbisa reported revenue of USD 182.75 Mn (KSh 23.67 Bn), up 16.1% year on year, for the six months ended 31 December 2025. Operating profit before depreciation and amortisation rose 27.2% to USD 31.85 Mn (KSh 4.13 Bn), lifting the operating margin to 17.4% from 15.9%. Profit before tax surged 76.3% to USD 20.45 Mn (KSh 2.65 Bn).

Cash generated from operations increased 24.4% to USD 36.51 Mn (KSh 4.73 Bn), representing a 115% conversion rate on operating profit. Headline earnings per share rose 77.2% to 2.80 US cents from 1.58 US cents. The board declared an interim dividend of 0.934 US cents per share (KSh 0.121), a 50.6% increase, payable on or about 20 March 2026.

The group operated a total network of 729 stores across nine African markets as at 31 December 2025, comprising 340 in Zimbabwe, 259 in Kenya, and 130 franchised outlets across the DRC, Zambia, Malawi, Ghana, Mauritius and Namibia. Simbisa plans to open 31 new stores and refurbish 21 existing outlets in the second half of FY2026.