Maris subsidiary Agris invests in Kenyan herb farm

Agribusiness investor Agris has expanded Kenya-based Evergreen Herbs Ltd with an investment in Kajiado Farm.

Evergreen Herbs, one of East Africa’s leading producers of fresh-cut herbs, has commenced operations at a farm that was set to close in Kajiado, Nairobi. Evergreen Herbs Kajiado adds 15 ha of greenhouses and 6 ha of open field production to the company’s existing 25 ha site at nearby Athi River.

Agris, a subsidiary of African investment group Maris Ltd, acquired Evergreen Herbs in March just as the global lockdown devastated Kenya’s herb industry. “Covid hit at the very start of the business,” says Ran Kadosh, Agris managing director. “Sales fell by 70% overnight and we had to lay off 80 out of 300 staff.

“But we knew our geography and the technical know-how of our management team positioned us to produce a unique offering, so we decided to use the time to invest in new infrastructure – roads, drainage, greenhouses and irrigation.

“Demand for our herbs now exceeds pre-Covid levels and we’ve been able to make the Kajiado investment. We are anticipating a busy season as winter demand from Europe comes online.”

Kenya’s horticulture sub-sector – flowers, herbs, nuts, spices, fruit and vegetables – has grown rapidly over the past decade to become one of the country’s top foreign exchange earners. Global demand for fresh herbs is increasing at a CAGR of 3.9% between 2018 and 2025. 2020 lockdowns have created a supply shortfall in the market as producers in East Africa and around the world have been forced out of business. Domestic demand is rising too, especially from urban supermarkets and the restaurant sector.

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