Tag: Avocado

Walmart debuts private label beef in US as avocado consumption hits record highs

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US – American multinational retail corporation Walmart has debuted a private label beef line called McClaren Farms in stores across the Southeast as it looks to offer customers with responsibly raised, “steakhouse quality” meats. The new beef line is produced in partnership with Bob McClaren of Prime Pursuits, and is currently available in almost 500 stores across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and South Carolina. The line’s products include USDA Choice Angus filet mignon, T-Bone, porterhouse, ribeye, short ribs and chuck roast. McClaren Farms is an outgrowth of the end-to-end beef…

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Kakuzi Plc to strengthen business with earmarked US$3.7m capital injection

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KENYA – Kenyan integrated agri-business firm, Kakuzi Plc, has announced that it will invest more than Ksh400 million (US$3.7m) in capital expenditures (CAPEX) this year, to expand production and upscale its smallholder operations value, in a bid to boost the global positioning of Kenyan avocados. Other than boosting production and market for its core crop avocado, the fresh food producer and exporter has indicated it will continue to invest in diversification projects for its macadamia, livestock, commercial forestry business lines and experimenting with the new blueberry venture. This was revealed…

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Kakuzi to resume avocado export to Europe after a short hiatus

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KENYA – Kenyan fresh food producer and exporter, Kakuzi Plc, has won back the trust and business partnership of European based supermarkets, with its parent company Camellia revealing that they will soon resume avocado exports to the lucrative market. Supermarket chains Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Lidl suspended Kakuzi dealership in October following claims of human rights abuse to its workers, which were citied on Britain’s Sunday Times newspaper. “The serious human rights claims the group faced relating to its operations in Kenya led to a number of European supermarket chains suspending…

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Kenyan firm Sasini bounces back to profitability despite decline in half year revenue

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KENYA – Sasini, a Kenyan agricultural firm that produces and exports tea, coffee, macadamia and avocado has bounced back to profitability, posting a net profit of Ksh.122million (US$1.13m) in half-year period ended March 31 2021, a recovery from a Ksh13 million (US$121,000) loss attained in the same period last year. The firm, according to reports by Citizen Kenya, attributes the improved performance to gains from non-sales income, with the group ‘s operating activities yielding in gains of Ksh.177.9 million (US$1.66m) from a loss of Ksh.7.3 million (US$68,000) previously. The growth…

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Listed Kenyan agricultural farm Kakuzi offers free fruit maturity services to avocado farmers

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KENYA – Kenyan fresh food producer and exporter, Kakuzi Plc has unveiled free fruit maturity testing service for smallholder avocado farmers for the current harvest period. As part of the firm’s out-grower development programs, Kakuzi, the prime exporter of quality Hass variety avocados, will provide free maturity testing services during the current harvest period that runs to August this year. The services will ensure compliance with quality standards and enhance the value of Kenyan fruit in the global market. It will be provided at its FSSC 22000 Food Safety Management…

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Kakuzi’s parent company issues US$6.3m worth of settlements following alleged human rights abuse

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KENYA – The Brirtish owner of the vast Kenyan plantation company, Kakuzi Limited has undertaken financial compensation to the 85 victims of alleged rape and violence perpetrated by Kakuzi’s employees. According to the parent company Camellia Plc, it has paid £4.6m (US$6.3m) in relation to the Kenyan case, alongside £2.3m (US$3.1m) issued to similar allegations brought against its Malawian subsidiary, Eastern Produce Malawi (EPM). The settlements in Kenya follows a lawsuit filed on behalf of the victims at London’s High Court by law firm Leigh Day, accusing Camellia Plc for…

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Lidl joins Tesco Supermarkets to cut ties with Kenyan avocado supplier Kakuzi

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KENYA – A second supermarket chain in the United Kingdom, Lidl has suspended avocado supplies from Kakuzi Limited, Kenyan vast plantation company, days after Tesco supermarket did the same. The grocery and food retailer has suspended Kakuzi dealership over claims of human rights abuse to its workers, which were citied by Britain’s Sunday Times newspaper. According to the report, a UK law firm Leigh Day, which is representing scores of alleged victims of rape and violence perpetrated by Kakuzi’s employees, has filed a lawsuit accusing Camellia Plc for turning a…

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Kakuzi’s parent company sued by UK firm for alleged human rights abuse

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KENYA – The Brirtish owner of the vast Kenyan plantation company, Kakuzi Limited has been sued in the UK by law firm Leigh Day, which is representing scores of alleged victims of rape and violence perpetrated by Kakuzi’s employees. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of 79 Kenyans at London’s High Court, accuses Camellia Plc for turning a blind eye to systematic human rights abuse by its subsidiary’s employees for a period of 11 years since 2009, according to Britain’s Sunday Times newspaper. “The attacks are said to have been part…

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California Haas avocado access the Chinese market despite dwindling demand due to COVID-19

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CHINA – As part of the U.S.-China Economic and Trade Agreement (ETA), California-grown Hass avocados received market access to China as from April 26, 2020, revealed a GAIN report by the United States Department of Agriculture. Avocado producers are expected to adhere to the General Administration of Customs China’s (GACC) phytosanitary import requirements and the produce will be allowed into the market if they meet the quarantine requirements. The report has stated that shipments of fresh California Haas avocados may arrive in China by air or sea but only via…

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Tanzania’s avocado export market shoot coupled with rise in volume and price

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TANZANIA – In a span of five years, avocado exports from Tanzania have gained traction with the country fetching US$12 million from 2019 exports attributed to the rise in volume from 1,877 tonnes in 2014 to 9,000 tonnes in 2019 according to data from, the Tanzania Horticultural Association (Taha). Taha’s chief development man-ager, Mr Anthony Chamanga, also revealed that farm-gate prices rose from Sh450 per kilogramme in 2014 to Sh1,500 in 2020. According to a report by The Citizen Tanzania, the improved performance is attributed to the investments undertook by…

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