Leading spices maker to construct mega factory in Kenya

Leading manufacturer of spices and snacks in the East African region Tropical Heat Limited is set to construct mega factory in Kenya to boost its production capacity.the US$ 4.5m mega factory in Kenya is being supported by International Finance Corporation (IFC).

In a statement IFC said that due to congestion that has been obstructing the company’s growth the financial support was necessary to boost the firm’s expansion plans.

“The facility is fully utilized and the congestion is now a major bottleneck hindering the company’s growth, hence the need for a new factory where they will relocate all their equipment currently used at the existing site,” IFC said in a statement.

The new factory will be constructed on 5,200 square metre on an eight-acre piece of land in Limuru area and it is part of the company’s expansion plan that includes introduction of new products.

The mega development, whose construction is ongoing, is expected to be complete by the end of next year.

Tropical Heat Ltd confirmed that it is also anticipating to acquire new machinery and production lines and also a cold storage facility built mainly to handle locally sourced potatoes, a major raw material for crisps.

“This new storage facility will bring benefits both to smallholder farmers and reduce risks along the company’s supply chain majorly by improving storage capacity and duration,” IFC further said in a statement.

The company manufactures a wide range of products and spices including herbs, seasonings, masala and salts. Its assortment of snacks includes potato crisps, ethnic snacks, Kenyan chevda, peanuts, rice cakes and extruded snacks. The company started operations in Thika town in 1974 as a cottage business run by a single family inside their house.

It is one of the uprising companies that have featured prominently in the annual Business Daily/KPMG sponsored Top 100 Companies survey.