Our story
McLives started in a student hostel in Arusha. It is now Tanzania’s most ambitious fortified nutrition enterprise: profitable, growing, and built entirely from the ground up.
Where it began
In 2021, my college roommate Livingstone came home late. He was quiet. After a while he told me he hadn’t eaten properly in days. I had a pot of porridge cooking: soybeans, wheat, coconut milk, cardamom. I gave him a cup.
The next morning, before our first class, Livingstone said something I have never forgotten:
“I haven’t felt this awake in weeks.”
Livingstone wasn’t just hungry. He was eating, but what he ate had no micronutrients. No iron, no zinc, no B12. Hidden hunger. It affects nearly one in three Tanzanian children under five, and it was sitting in my own room, in a friend I cared about.
That sentence built McLives. I couldn’t unsee the problem. So I decided to solve it.
Mukhammad Ramadhani Costa, Founder
What we stand for
Our mission
To make fortified, affordable nutrition the daily default for every Tanzanian. Not a luxury, not a health product, but the obvious choice at street-food prices.
Our vision
50 McLives sales stations across Arusha by 2030. 15,000 people fed daily. 150 contracted farmers. Tanzania’s most trusted nutrition brand, growing across East Africa.
The price point is non-negotiable. 1,000 TZS is not a promotional price. It is our permanent commitment.
Our 15 contracted farmers are partners, not suppliers. Guaranteed prices and long-term relationships.
56% of our team are women. Our target is 65% by 2030.
Every batch is fortified to clinical standards. We do not guess at micronutrient levels.
Plans mean nothing without deadlines. Every goal at McLives has an owner and a date.
Our journey
McLives Limited incorporated. First test batches produced in Njiro. First customers served at IAA.
First permanent sales station opened at IAA. TZS 36 million first-year revenue. Named Entrepreneur of the Year at IAA Careers Day.
Second station opened at ATC. Electric cargo delivery launched. Team grew to 6 staff. Revenue: TZS 65 million.
Third station at Arusha Bus Terminal. 4 industrial machines acquired. New products: cooking oil and spice processing. GAIN Fortify Forward Innovation Challenge winner. FUNGUO Investee. Revenue: TZS 215 million.
Government Touch Movement visit to the Njiro facility. Arusha City Council commits 50 AFCON kiosk locations. SIDO loan due diligence. AFR100 participant. Mobile app in development.
10 sales stations open. 3,000 daily customers. TBS certification complete. Mobile app live. 50 contracted farmers.
50 stations. 15,000 daily customers. TZS 8.4 billion revenue. East Africa expansion.
The team
BBA, Institute of Accountancy Arusha. Built McLives from zero to TZS 215M in 3 years. Leads strategy, investor relations, farmer partnerships and product development.
Manages corporate governance, board administration and company legal affairs.
Finance Manager
Food & Agricultural Engineering graduate. Leads processing quality, machine operations, the soil health programme and technical compliance.
Runs farmer relationships, sourcing and agronomic support across our 27-hectare supply network.
Facility Manager
Oversees daily station operations, staff coordination and logistics across all sales points.
Manages accounts, monthly reporting and financial records.
Builds institutional and wholesale supply for offices, schools and vendors across Arusha.
9 full-time staff (5 women, 4 men) plus 2 part-time. All committed to the McLives mission.
Recognition & programmes
Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
EU / UNDP / UK FCDO / Finland
FAO / E4Impact
Institute of Accountancy Arusha Careers Day
50-station AFCON 2027 corridor commitment
Recognised enterprise, youth loan approved for due diligence
