The Kenyan avocado specialist’s new facility aims to address the main issue hindering the country’s success on global markets: achieving a consistently high quality export
Kenyan avocado producer-exporter Karakuta Fresh Produce has commissioned a 7,500-tonne avocado packhouse in Nairobi, as the company positions itself to increase exports and deepen partnerships with its more than 1,500 smallholder farmers, according to CEO Grace Ngungi.
The facility is set to handle fruit grown on Karakuta’s 180-acre model farm, Capital Business in Kenya reported, as well as produce from smallholders in Kiambu, Nyeri, Kirinyaga and Meru counties.
“This packhouse is not just an infrastructure investment — it is a platform for transforming livelihoods,” Ngungi said at the launch. “By combining modern machinery with smallholder networks, we’re ensuring our fruit meets global standards for quality and traceability.”
A key priority is to address the quality control challenges that have hampered Kenya’s competitiveness in global avocado markets. The grading and packing facility was financed through a partnership with Equity Group, whose CEO James Mwangi said the investment “unlocks value far beyond primary production”.
Having started by shipping eight containers of avocados in its first year of harvest, Karakuta is now aiming for 60 containers for the 2025 season, according to Ngungi.
“This facility enables us to consistently meet the quality requirements of export markets and empower smallholder farmers with better returns,” said Ngungi. “We want every farmer who works with us to feel they own a piece of this success.”
“Value addition like this creates more jobs and multiplies income along the value chain,” added Mwangi. “Karakuta is showing us that scaling is possible, and that women-led agribusinesses are bankable and transformational.”
