MACE FOODS Ltd. is a private limited company as Kenyan-Italian-German joint venture and was incorporated in January 2002. The company is financed by the current shareholders and by a loan from a Swiss bank.

The Company Strategy

The project idea of MACE FOODS Ltd. is to produce dehydrated spices, herbs and, as collateral products, fruits exclusively for export. MACE FOODS exploits the availability of agricultural land and own production knowledge. MACE FOODS began concentrating on chillies long Cayenne and small chillies (internationally named Bird's Eye) but is currently enlarging its product range.

To ensure a closer relationship to the EU customers a sales and marketing company, MACE FOODS Europe Ltd., was incorporated in Wuppertal/Germany in August 2005. MACE FOODS recently started also to introduce high quality chillies in bulk and in jars into the East African market.

Customer satisfaction is a basic principle of our business. The mission of MACE FOODS is to be a producer and not a mere dealer. This is the only way to guarantee stringent quality requirements from the seeds, agricultural practice to the delivery of the goods to our European customers. Conformity with quality requirements of the sophisticated European markets follows EU and US standards. MACE FOODS complies with the European social standards CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility).

MACE FOODS produces, processes and ships dried horticultural products to the European Union. Offices and processing factory are located in a new estate in Eldoret, in Central Kenya. The business benefits from its accessibility and the transport facilities that link the factory to the main Kenyan port of Mombasa by railway and road.

Location and Premises

It is vital that the premises of the company are as close as possible to the main producers in order to allow to monitoring all the production operations. The climatic conditions of the area are favourable so that the farmers can obtain the maximum output form their farms. The premises have access to clean running water, electricity, telephones and internet services.

MACE FOODS is located within close proximity to the main town centre but within the industrial area of the town. MACE has invested in processing equipment following EU standards.

Equipment

On the compound there are the drying house, a small nursery, the offices and the factory including milling machine, vibrosorter, magnetic separator, sorting and grading tables and packaging line,

Transportation Systems

The company requires transport for three major purposes: collection of farm produce, fieldwork and transfer of final goods to Mombasa. The company has own transport facilities to collect farm produce and to supply the farmers with seedlings and other goods. The Agronomists are assigned motorbikes for their fieldwork and regular visits to farms. For transport to Mombasa the company uses primarily Kenya Railways, for specific purposes cargo services from Nairobi.

Sourcing of raw materials

The two main products that MACE deals with are products, which are relatively new to the farmers. Previously the Long Cayenne chillies had been produced by farmers only in small quantities for fresh use in the kitchens at home, for the local open air markets and for restaurants.

The Bird's Eye chilli was a completely new product. The farmers were very sceptical to try this new product.

Since 2002 MACE FOODS developed a successful sourcing infrastructure with own land and a network of contract farmers which receive seeds and guidance from own agronomists, MACE FOODS works closely with international institutions and stakeholders involved to promote production of the crops. MACE FOODS established an efficient co-operation with all the players to achieve the targets, i.e. to build up a profitable business and at the same time to enhance the income of the farmers.