Dr Isaac Mwangi is a co-founder and director of Keitt Exporters Limited, a Kenyan company specializing in the exportation of fruits and vegetables to markets in Europe and the Middle East.
Under the leadership of Dr Isaac Mwangi, the business, Keitt Exporters Limited, has been operational for over two decades. It was founded in 2001 by Dr. Mwangi and his friend.
The company, now, has a reputable name as one of the top exporters in Kenya. Before achieving success, Dr. Isaac Mwangi worked as a fruit supplier, operating as a dealer in Malindi town starting in 1990.
Later on, he relocated to Makueni where he would procure mangoes from farms and supply them to big supermarkets in Nairobi as well as exporters.
In 2001, Dr. Mwangi recalled the company’s humble beginnings. Despite facing capital challenges, this did not stop them from providing consistent and high-quality supplies.
“With the blessings of God, we got some money from somewhere, then we started growing slowly,” he said in a past interview.
The export business would register huge growth a decade later, in 2012. He explained that in order to run an export company, one needs to have both a mission and a vision.
He acknowledged that bodies such as KEPHIS and HCD provided them with certifications, licenses and correct knowledge on how to navigate the business.
“The problem with farmers sometimes is they don’t want to follow the right channel. Some bodies guide people on how to do work right and how to do proper farming,” he noted.
“If you want to do farming for export, you have to go through HCD who will give you the guidelines.”
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He emphasized on details of accurate levels of chemicals when exporting to foreign markets. To ensure compliance with government export standards, his company has a technical department that directly communicates with farmers.
They guide farmers on the proper levels of chemicals to spray on their farms so that they can produce vegetables and mangoes that standard.
Mwangi called on the government to hire more extension officers to help the farmers with proper cultivation. He added that they should subsidize chemicals, fertilizers and seeds.
