KENYA – Upfield, the manufacturers of the Blue Band margarine, has unveiled three new range of products in the Kenyan market an addition to its portfolio.

The newly-launched products include, Blue Band Peanut Butter, Blue Band Real Mayonnaise and Blue Band Cold Pressed Canola oil.

Speaking during the launch, Upfield East & Southern Africa Managing Director, Peter Muchiri said, “In 2018, Blue Band found a new home at Upfield where our purpose is to make people healthier and happier with nutritious and delicious, natural products that are good for you and our planet.”

“Blue Band has been a trusted brand in the Kenyan market for over 65 years, and this expanded portfolio we have introduced provides more variety and choice to cater to our consumers’ identified, changing needs.”

The new Blue Band Peanut Butter, which is plant-based made from 100% natural peanuts, is highly nutritious and delivers a rich nutty taste free from preservatives, colorants and other additives.

Blue Band Mayonnaise, the second product launched, is a premium condiment made with natural ingredients, rich source of Omega 3 & 6, guaranteeing you long-lasting freshness and natural taste to your meals.

The third product launched, Blue Band Cold Pressed Canola oil, is an edible oil made from 100% canola seeds making it a rich source of Omega 3, 6 & 9, vitamin E and fortified with vitamin A.

Upfield currently purchases over 2000 tonnes of rapeseed for its Blue Band Cold Press Canola oil from 3,400 Upfield accredited small-scale farmers in Mt Kenya Region.

This number is expected to increase to over 7000 farmers in the coming years as demand for Canola oil drives increased production.

As part of the innovation development process, Upfield has heavily invested in sourcing some of its raw materials locally. For instance, Canola oil is 100% locally sustainably sourced from the slopes of Mt Kenya under a partnership with Agventure.

This is a clear indication of Upfield’s long-term commitment to the development of the Kenyan agricultural value chain and the growth of the country’s economy.

The company has put in place a rigorous training and testing process to ensure that all the products adhere to the highest quality standards, making them good for their consumers.

Kenya is the first country where the new products have been rolled out, with more launches expected in the coming months across Africa, Middle East and Asia as well as other global markets like South America under the Blue Band brand.

The products will be available in various sizes to cater for different markets in all leading retail stores.

Blue Band Peanut Butter 800g will retail at Sh650 (US$6.4), 400g at Sh350 (US$3.4) and the 200g at Sh180 (US$1.7).

Blue Band Real Mayonnaise 532ml will be sold at Sh500 (US$4.9) while Blue Band Cold Pressed Canola oil 1 litre at Sh380 (US$3.7).

Unilever who had been the initial owners of the Blue band brand in Kenya since 1950s has been offloading its solid fat businesses in the last decade on low returns due to consumer choice change with many opting for less fatty products on health grounds.

In 2017, Unilever sold its margarine and spreads business to US private equity firm KKR for US$8.04 billion (Sh824 billion) to concentrate on faster-growing products in a deal that was closed mid-2018. The capital firm invests in various sectors across the world.

Five years earlier, the global fast-moving goods consumer goods firm sold its Kimbo and Cowboy cooking fat brands to rival Bidco.