Author: Muindi

Kenya’s tea exports rose 18.9 per cent in the first quarter of this year as compared to a similar period in 2020, according to the latest data released by the Tea Directorate. In the review period, 153.2 million kilograms of tea were exported, up from 128.8 million in the same period in 2020.  Pakistan remains the top market accounting for 40 per cent of the total shipments. Other destinations include Egypt, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Russia, Yemen, Sudan, Kazakhstan, Iran and China. Consequently, the directorate projects the country’s cumulative tea production to decline in the year. This is due…

Plant-based spreads producer Upfield Kenya has achieved the coveted Food Management System Standard certification, FSSC 22000, an indication of the quality of its products. FSSC 22000 focuses on certifying the Food Safety Management System of an organization thereby assuring an end-to-end robust management of the systems by defining, evaluating, and controlling food safety hazards, minimizing risks and guaranteeing the production of safe food in the whole supply chain.  This includes processing, manufacturing, packaging, storage, transportation, and distribution, with checks on the suppliers too. “Our Nairobi based Blue Band manufacturing plant meets the requirements of an internationally recognized best practice approach…

Kenya Electricity Generating Company started installing a Steam Turbine into the Olkaria 1 AU 6 Power Plant, signalling a major breakthrough in the ongoing construction of the power plant.  “This is the largest single unit of turbine we will be installing in any of our power plants with a capacity of 83.3MW and with its installation we are now entering the final phase of construction of the power plant,” KenGen Managing Director and CEO, Mrs, Rebecca Miano said Thursday when the installation began.  She revealed that this was the first time a Fuji Turbine was being installed not only in…

Prime Bank Kenya has introduced five innovative transactional products to drive an easy and comprehensive banking experience in its personal, SME and corporate customer segments. These local currency accounts dubbed Prime Yes, Prime Esteem, Prime Flexi, Prime Business Advantage and Prime Enterprise Business have been tailor-made to meet the bank’s existing and potential customers’ everyday banking needs, it notes in a statement. The new products will complement the bank’s digital banking platforms PrimeMobi and PrimeNet. The bank’s managing director Bharat Jani said the launch of the new products signalled the bank’s responsive nature to the ever-changing trends, innovation and evolution…

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has announced the launch of direct flight services from Amsterdam to Mombasa, Kenya’s coastal city, starting October 31. The route will be served twice a week, on Thursday and Sunday, with a Boeing 787-9.   KLM General Manager for East Africa Arthur Dieffenthaler said the flights to Mombasa will target leisure travellers to the coastal city by offering a direct flying experience. “The rising number of tourists visiting Mombasa, not just from Europe but also the rest of the world, signifies the growing interest in the unique experiences the coastal city has to offer,” Dieffenthaler said, noting…

Kenya’s current account deficit remains high, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) said on Wednesday.  The country’s current account deficit hit a record 4.8 per cent in the last fiscal year and has been a key parameter for the Central Bank of Kenya while setting monetary policy. “The current account deficit is estimated at 5.2 per cent of GDP in the 12 months to April and is projected to remain at the same level in 2021,” the MPC said in a statement. Key highlights Exports of goods have remained strong, growing by 5.5 per cent in the first 4 months of…