KENYA – SimpliFine, a food production company offering fresh, locally-sourced meat, vegetables, baked goods, and other foods to restaurants, hotels, and retail grocers across East Africa, has cut ribbon to its newly built food processing facility.

This comes days after the company announced it will introduce 19 meat and vegetarian products in the market, as part of its rapid expansion strategy in the economy.

These items include frozen meats, prepared meal accompaniments and a range of ready-to-cook prepared meals, complementing the quality French fries it supplies to restaurants, hotels, schools and catering businesses across Kenya.

With the opening of the establishment, SimpliFine is targeting to grow its potato production and delivery, with plans to supply 450 tons of French fries by the end of 2021, the equivalent of more than 10 million meals.

“We are thrilled to bring quality and great value food options to our customers, and to help drive new economic activity throughout Kenya.”

Steven Carlyon – President of SimpliFine

The company is also seeking to increase the availability of quality, locally-sourced foods, support the growth of regional farms and increase employment in the region.

As SimpliFine grows its customer base, it will triple employment on its supplier farms by the end of the year. The company’s current customers include a mix of restaurants, hotels, and retail grocers.   

“We are thrilled to bring quality and great value food options to our customers, and to help drive new economic activity throughout Kenya,” said Steven Carlyon, President of SimpliFine.

The company’s new production methodology leverages the services of players such as BigCold, a Nairobi-based cold storage and cold chain solutions company serving East Africa.

Using the temperature-controlled storage and logistics expertise of BigCold, SimpliFine is set to deliver quality food to customers efficiently and safely in the local market and abroad.

Historically, the absence of a temperature-controlled supply chain has resulted in spoilage of up to 60% of locally-produced food, decreasing farmers’ income and increasing consumer prices.

The lack of a consistent supply of quality products has also resulted in many hotels, restaurants and catering companies relying on expensive imported goods.

Last year, Kenya imported US$2.5 billion in food products, a narrative that the integrated food producer is seeking to change through its innovative launches.

Africa’s food supply chain is becoming more local; SimpliFine aims to accelerate this progress. The company will use advanced supply chain management and operational expertise to ensure high-quality food is locally sourced, manufactured, and delivered to customers in an expedient and safe way. 

“SimpliFine illustrates the value of effective production, handling, and delivery of perishable products.

“We are excited to offer customers of BigCold end-to-end service for fresh food options – an efficiency that allows for improved products and better pricing for consumers,” said Newton Matope, President of BigCold.

SimpliFine is a BlackIvy operating company, a U.S. holding company that builds, operates, and scales businesses that drive long-term growth and resilient value in essential sectors – food, housing, healthcare, warehousing and logistics – in Sub-Saharan Africa.

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