What started in 2013 as a modest wheat flour business operating with a single production line has grown into one of Jinja’s notable agri-processing enterprises, with Master Grain Milling Limited recording an annual turnover of more than Shs60 billion in the 2025/2026 financial year.
Behind the company’s expansion is a financing partnership with Equity Bank Uganda that began in 2018, at a time when the business was struggling to obtain the capital needed to sustain its growth.
Hajji Swammit Itaaga, Managing Director of Master Grain Milling, said the company approached Equity Bank after its previous bankers could no longer provide the financial support required to take the business forward.
“Equity Bank saved us some time back. Our former bankers reached a point where they couldn’t support us financially, but Equity Bank came on board and gave us the exact funds we needed,” Itaaga said.
He said the financing provided by Equity Bank enabled the company to invest in its operations while also accessing trade financing as its business expanded.
“Equity Bank offered us a great deal with sufficient capital and has consistently supported our growth through reliable trade,” he added.
The financial support came at a crucial stage in Master Grain Milling’s development. With access to additional capital, the company embarked on a major expansion that would eventually change the scale and structure of its operations.
In 2019, Master Grain Milling acquired a modern production line from Europe, significantly increasing its manufacturing capacity.
The company also began putting in place structures designed to support a growing corporate operation. Dedicated finance, production and sales departments were established, while the distribution network was expanded through regional depots across Uganda.
The company further invested in its logistics by replacing its ageing fleet with new commercial trucks. Its sales operation was also strengthened through a network of about 22 sales representatives, each equipped with company vehicles to serve distributors in different parts of the country.
Meddy Mbaziira, Head of Sales and Marketing at Master Grain Milling, said the company’s growth has been accompanied by a major transformation in its internal organisation.
“Initially, the structures weren’t there because it was a one-man-run business, but right now the business has structures,” Mbaziira said.
“We have dedicated finance and production teams, as well as a sales department with around 22 sales representatives across the country. Where we once relied on a fleet of very old trucks, we now operate with brand-new ones, making distribution easy,” he added.
The investments have allowed Master Grain Milling to develop an integrated operation that combines manufacturing, distribution and sales, enabling the company to serve customers across Uganda more efficiently.
However, the company says access to working capital remains important as it prepares for its next stage of expansion.
Itaaga said additional financing would allow the company to increase its workforce while making better use of its existing production infrastructure.
“If we continue working closely with Equity Bank to meet these current needs, we will be able to employ even more people,” he said.
For manufacturers and agro-processors, working capital remains a critical part of business growth. While machinery increases production capacity, companies need money to purchase raw materials, maintain stocks, meet operating costs and fulfil orders before receiving payments from customers.
Master Grain Milling is now seeking to make full use of its production capacity, which stands at about 540 tonnes per day.
Management believes additional working capital would enable the company to increase production, meet growing market demand and create more employment opportunities.
The company’s expansion journey recently attracted the attention of Equity Bank’s senior leadership, which visited its Jinja plant to assess its operations and discuss opportunities for further growth.
The delegation was led by Equity Bank Board Chair Henry Rugamba and Managing Director Gift Shoko.
The visit provided an opportunity for the bank’s leadership to understand the company’s production processes, review its expansion journey and explore ways of supporting its future growth.
For Master Grain Milling, the relationship with Equity Bank has evolved beyond solving an immediate financing challenge. It has become part of the company’s broader strategy to expand production, improve distribution and build a stronger business.
The company’s experience also illustrates the importance of financing in Uganda’s manufacturing and agricultural value-addition sectors, where businesses often have the machinery and market opportunities but require sufficient capital to operate at full capacity.
As Uganda continues to promote local manufacturing and value addition, Master Grain Milling’s journey demonstrates how access to finance, investment in modern technology and stronger management systems can help businesses grow from small operations into larger enterprises capable of contributing to employment, production and economic development.
