Kenyan macadamia sector rallies stakeholders to strengthen local consumption and processing
Industry leaders urge joint efforts as Kakuzi expands value-added product line for the domestic market.
KENYA – At the inaugural National Macadamia Conference held at Embu University, leading players in Kenya’s macadamia sector came together to call for stronger collaboration aimed at boosting local consumption and processing.
Despite Kenya being the world’s third-largest exporter of macadamia, local consumption remains alarmingly low.
According to Kakuzi Plc, one of the country’s largest macadamia growers and processors, Kenyans consume less than 5% of the national production, which stands at over 63,000 metric tonnes.
Kakuzi’s General Manager for Macadamia Operations, Mathias Muinde, called for a united front to shift the focus from raw exports to local value addition.
“Kenyan macadamia competes at the same league as South African and Australian produce, and all the value chain stakeholders need to work together to at least double the local consumption of our quality macadamia,” Muinde said during his address to the conference.
He added, “The potential doubling of local macadamia consumption to around 6,000 metric tonnes calls for innovative value addition through the production and packaging of quality snacks, cold-pressed cooking oils, gluten-free flour, organic manure and biomass fuels from the shells.”
Muinde pointed out that this shift would not only boost the local economy but also empower smallholder farmers, many of whom face challenges in accessing markets for raw nuts.
He urged these farmers to work closely with companies like Kakuzi to learn best practices in agronomy and processing.
“As part of its product diversification strategy, Kakuzi has successfully expanded into a range of macadamia value-added products including cold-pressed macadamia oil, roasted nuts, flour, and now beginning activated charcoal from macadamia shells. This has attracted interest from both national and international stakeholders,” he said.
Government support and policy direction
The conference, which runs from 4th to 6th June, was officially opened by the Deputy President of Kenya, H.E. Prof. Kithure Kindiki, who reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting the sector. He confirmed that the current ban on raw macadamia (in-shell) exports remains in place.
According to the Deputy President, “This ban is crucial to protect jobs, boost local processing and value addition. We will continue working with all actors to grow this industry.”
Organised by the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), the National Macadamia Conference aims to deepen awareness of macadamia’s health and commercial potential.
More than 1,000 stakeholders, including processors, researchers, farmers, and policymakers, are taking part.
Growth and employment opportunities
Kakuzi is steadily growing its value-added macadamia line. Its processing plant, which has a capacity of 2,000 tonnes of saleable kernel, ranks among the largest in the country.
The company has created over 1,200 formal jobs through this division alone. It has also maintained high standards in traceability, meeting global compliance benchmarks, a step that smallholder farmers can learn from as they seek market access.
With increased collaboration across the value chain, stakeholders remain hopeful that more Kenyans will begin to embrace macadamia not just as an export crop, but as a part of everyday consumption.
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