Fruit exporter Kakuzi Plc has renewed its commitment to planting more than just crops in Murang'a County, offering to seeding a future built on sustainable agriculture, innovation, and inclusive growth. 

The Nairobi Securities Exchange-listed agribusiness giant has reaffirmed its roots in the region with bold plans to inject over KES1.2 billion into new agricultural and environmental initiatives, solidifying its role as both an economic engine and responsible corporate citizen.

The plan which was unveiled during the inaugural Murang’a County Investment Conference, signals a strategic pivot toward scaling high-value crops and diversified revenue streams, explained Kakuzi Managing Director Chris Flowers. 

From macadamia and avocado expansions to livestock and commercial forestry ventures, Kakuzi is blending agribusiness with impact. At the heart of this growth story is innovation, exemplified by the firm’s recently launched macadamia oil plant—capable of producing 1,000 litres of cold-pressed oil daily—cementing its place as a regional leader in value addition and agro-industrial transformation.

“We are undoubtedly Kenya’s number one quality Avocado and Macadamia exporter,” Mr Flowers told delegates at the conference, who included President William Ruto and the host Murang’a Governor Dr Irungu Kang’ata.

He added, “We currently have three commercially produced crops, and we intend to add a fourth crop in our expanded investments journey even as we expand the integration and active use of agricultural technology (AgTech) solutions and diversify our domestic and export markets to enhance shareholder returns.”

As part of its strategic plans to increase production over the medium term, the firm disclosed plans to nearly double avocado production and exports from three million to five million four-kilo equivalent cartons. Kakuzi is also planning to increase its Macadamia production from 900 tonnes of kernel to 1,500 tonnes.

He noted that Kakuzi Blueberry crops have the potential to generate significant revenue streams while allowing the firm to diversify its footprint into significantly different geographical markets.

As part of Kakuzi’s quest to become carbon-neutral, the firm has also explored potential avenues to use macadamia shells for energy generation, as they are an excellent source of activated carbon.

Macadamia Nut Oil presents a lucrative opportunity for farmers to maximise the value of their macadamia harvests. Despite Kenya’s status as a significant macadamia producer, domestic consumption is still very low. Kakuzi aims to change this narrative by promoting the use of macadamia products within our country, creating different market opportunities for farmers and driving economic growth.

Recently, Kakuzi also officially launched a range of consumer products developed over the past two years for the domestic market, including ready-to-eat macadamia nuts, gluten-free macadamia flour, Macadamia cereal mix, and blueberry packs. 

Kakuzi’s Macadamia Oil is now available at select retail stores and the firm’s online e-commerce platforms and can be used for deep frying, cooking, and mixing with salads, among other uses.

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