Kenya’s leading producer, marketer and distributor of fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables  Del Monte Kenya is set to launch a new frozen facility as it looks to boost production capacity and grow market share. 

In a recent interview, the company’s Managing Director Wayne Cook said the new facility is part of Del Monte Kenya’s diversification strategy and will help the firm adapt to shifting consumer patterns. 

“We are looking at installing a frozen facility this year which is going to be a major game changer and the next milestone for Del Monte Kenya,” he said. 

The company, which this year marks its 60th anniversary, has in recent years sought to diversify from its mainstay of processing pineapple products by scaling up production of avocados, mangoes and fruit juices. 

“We cannot just be one dimensional and be a pineapple business, we need to diversify,” explains Mr. Cook. “We are also installing a small mango processing line. All of the mangoes we have been growing for the past couple of years, we are now starting to harvest them.”

According to Mr. Cook, the new investments are also informed by the shifting consumer preference both locally and in the international market, with the need to ensure sustainable business practices are embedded in the mainstream value chains.

Currently, farmers around the world are grappling with the effects of climate change that has impacted the quality and quantity of food production systems in many economies. 

A recent report by Christian Aid, for instance revealed, that global banana production is falling rapidly due to rising temperatures in key growing countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

“Over the years people’s health choices are changing and the world is becoming smaller in terms of logistics, getting products from point A to point B,” explained Mr. Cook. 

“In the last few years we started growing avocados, mangoes and we are looking at what other crops we can grow in the space and the land we have to make sure we utilize the limited land we have to full effect,” he said.

According to data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, KNBS, the country’s fruit and vegetable exports went up 21 per cent from 587,000 tonnes in 2023 to 712,000 tonnes last year, bringing in Sh94 billion in foreign exchange.

Del Monte Kenya is upbeat that renewed investments in sustainable business infrastructure and practices will help expand the range of products the firm can offer its various customers. 

Last year, the farm unveiled a modern fertilizer facility uniquely designed to convert surplus pineapple waste into environmentally friendly biofertilizers.

These natural fertilizers leverage beneficial microbes to improve soil health, enhance nutrient absorption, and boost crop yields while offering a sustainable alternative to conventional fertilizers.

Last month the firm officially joined the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) signaling its commitment to align corporate operations with the universal principles of sustainable business. 

“To remain ahead of the curve, you need to reinvest and that is one of the things that Del Monte Kenya has done over the years; spending millions of dollars each year into reinvestment, equipment and innovation,” said Mr. Cook.

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