Reuters reported on Friday that French food group Danone was planning to buy a 40 percent stake in East Africa’s top dairy firm Brookside at an undisclosed amount as part of its plans to expand in new markets amid weak growth in Europe and a slowing economy in China.

Danone will buy the stake from President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Family, which controls a majority shareholding in the dairy producer.

Emmanuel Marchant, vice-president for corporate development at Danone, told Reuters the acquisition will help the group boost its earnings.

The French company joins other consumer firms, including Unilever, Nestle, Pernod Ricard and Diageo, that have in the recent years expanded their business into Africa to tap into a growing Middle class on the continent with a higher spending capacity.

Danone’s latest bid to enter Kenya is one of its many investments in Africa where it has invested over $1.35 billion in the last two years. Ventures Africa reported that the company bought 49 percent stake in Fan Milk International, a frozen dairy products and juices maker in West Africa and a controlling stake in Moroccan group Central Laitière for 550 million euros last year.

With over 140,000 farmers and a distribution network of more than 200,000 outlets, Brookside, which was founded in 1993, controls 40 percent of Kenya’s dairy market. It also exports its products to Uganda and Tanzania.

The diary firm reported sales of about $176 million in 2013, Reuters said.