Evelyne Munyeti, Jade Fresh MD, shares the journey of navigating the world of horticultural exports.
Exporting food from East Africa is not for the faint-hearted. Strict international standards, limited access to capital, and inconsistent production quality make it nearly impossible for most small businesses to break into international markets. Rejection rates are usually high, and financing is scarce, making the cost of failure punitive.
To put this into perspective, Kenya’s Economic Survey 2025 reports that EU pesticide regulation halved the value of Kenya’s fresh vegetable exports in 2024 to KSh23.4 billion ($180.7 million) from KSh50.9 billion ($393 million) in 2023, while volumes dropped by almost 55%. A separate 2024 report by Genesis Analytics confirmed what exporters already know: that market requirements are both technical and commercially fatal for undercapitalised micro and small enterprises, particularly those led by women. Certification costs and compliance failures mean that a single mistake can wipe out months of earnings.
Between 2017 and 2023, TradeMark Africa’s (TMA) Export Capability Programme supported businesses to navigate these challenges. For instance, the Horticulture Market Access Programme (HMAP) linked 1,198 farmers in Tanzania and 7,854 small and medium-scale farmers in Kenya to markets and assisted farmers with selling around 50,000 tons of produce (Genesis Analytics, 2024). The Rwanda Export Development Programme was successful in increasing the export readiness of supported businesses and significantly increased new export transactions from $1 million in 2018 to $2 million in 2023. “The goal was to build export capacity and help businesses identify viable markets and equip them to take advantage of those opportunities to increase their incomes and create job opportunities especially for youth,” explains Anataria Uwamariya, TMA’s Director, Business Competitiveness.
Jade Fresh Limited, a Kenyan-based firm that exports fresh and quality vegetables and fruits to Europe, is one such enterprise. As one walks into Jade Fresh’s packing facility, the air is crisp with the scent of freshly harvested vegetables. Workers in purple coats and gloves move with quiet precision, sorting, trimming, and packaging green beans under bright overhead lights. Every crate must meet stringent export standards. One misstep could mean rejection of the entire shipment. Evelyne Munyeti, Managing Director of Jade Fresh, watches closely. She understands the high stakes, as she has had entire shipments rejected frequently. “I would contract farmers and conduct all necessary checks. Still, they could deliver produce that did not meet the required standards. I trusted the process, sent shipments abroad, only for them to be destroyed at the point of entry after sampling,” Ms. Munyeti said. Jade Fresh joined the export programme in 2021 and benefited from interventions that included training staff and farmers on food safety and quality standards, certification support, and $46,332 (KSh6 million) in low-cost credit to grow operations. As a result, Jade Fresh now holds HACCP and ISO certifications, has secured new export markets, and cut rejection losses.
In Rwanda, the path was similar. Ms. Sakina Usengimana founded Afri Foods in 2019 after recognising Africa’s untapped agricultural potential. Her company exports fresh produce such as avocado, chilli, and passion fruit from Rwanda to markets in the UK, Germany, Italy, and the Middle East. “Local markets are unpredictable, but exports offer structured contracts and stability,” she explained. She chose to export chilli, a high-demand crop with international appeal, but lacked the knowledge to succeed in global markets. “I was navigating blindly. I did not know where to target, what certifications were required, or how to package products for international markets,” she admitted. That changed in 2021 when Afri Foods joined the Export Development Programme, by Rwanda Development Board (RDB) in partnership with TMA. A dedicated coach worked with her to refine her business strategy, assess risks, and develop a long-term export plan. She also joined trade expos abroad where buyers gave her direct actionable feedback on what they needed, down to chilli size, moisture content, and packaging style. Soon, she began securing contracts in the UK, Germany, and the Middle East. She recalls, “In Switzerland, I sat across from buyers who told me exactly what they wanted – the right chilli size, moisture content, and packaging preferences. That kind of first-hand feedback was invaluable.” A similar experience at a trade exhibition in Spain opened more doors, introducing her to European and Middle Eastern buyers. She is now exploring intra-African trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), with Kenya and Ghana as potential markets. Today, Afri Foods Limited employs 13 full-time staff and 230 seasonal workers.
Freight costs remain a barrier; she plans to switch from air to sea and invest in processing facilities to reduce spoilage. While these stories paint a picture of success, they are but an exception. The structure of African trade remains stacked against small firms because certification costs remain high, trade finance is inaccessible, and supply chains are fragmented. For firms to succeed, the private and public sector must work together to fix the invisible infrastructure including information, standards, finance, and trust. In the end, scale, not survival, is the metric that matters for Africa to increase its intra-African trade volumes.
