African Excellence Awards 2022 23 Jun22208 Exotic EPZ Ltd is a female-owned agribusiness with plant operations based in Nairobi, Kenya. Registered under Export Processing Zones, the company is licensed to process macadamia nuts and oils, priding itself on being the first and only 100% women-owned processor and export of macadamia nuts in the EA, a sector which is traditionally male dominated. dynamic trio of Kenyan ladies lead Exotic EPZ with passion and purpose by creating sustainable and inclusive agribusiness value chains. Their goal in the beginning was to start an organisation that would bring healthy products from the African continent to the world and have a positive impact in the community and on the environment, while promoting socialeconomic growth in Kenya. Together, they have over three decades’ combined experience in entrepreneurship and agribusiness, meaning they understand the competitive landscape and global market opportunity for nuts and are continuously investing in market research and product development. Their company sources quality unprocessed macadamia nuts-inshell directly from 2,500 small holder farmers and indirectly from over 5,000 small holder farmers supplying via agents. The nuts are aggregated from over 12 counties in Kenya, then delivered to the factory in Nairobi where they are processed and packed for export to the USA, Europe, and Asia. To do this, Exotic invests in systems and talent development through robust recruitment policies, training, capacity building, and certification programmes for staff and company. It has acquired FSSC-22000 since 2018 and ISO 9001 certification in 2021, and is US FDA registered which makes it eligible to export to the US markets. The company is also implementing various other standards for quality and safety management, including ISO 45001, and has recently enrolled for ISO14001 (Environmental Management System). Exotic understands its competitive advantage over other similar businesses with its capability to consistently produce high quality products, complemented by high quality customer-centred relations and operations. On the supply side, it benefits from robust relations and goodwill with small holder farmers and suppliers, while internally upholding a strong, talented and innovative team. The company has created opportunities for over 100 workers directly within the business (85% being women and 75% youth), and many more along the value chain, including agents and aggregators, transporters, and loaders. They are the heartbeat of Exotic and enable it to keep expanding its operations and create more opportunities, whilst it ensures their continuous self-development and capacity building. Ultimately, Exotic aims to be the leader in the nuts and oils value chains in the region, providing quality products and delivering value to all its stakeholders. The growth plan is to expand operations and sales of its products through establishing a state-of-the-art production plant that will triple its production over the next two years, whilst growing its international market share in the USA, Europe and Asia, and capturing customers in Africa. Company: Exotic EPZ Ltd Contact: Jane Maigua Email: [email protected] Website: www.exoticepz.co.ke A Best Female-Owned Agribusiness - East Africa
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