Kakuzi Set for Berlin Trade Show as it Eyes European Market

Local superfood producer Kakuzi Plc is set to attend the FRUIT LOGISTICA global trade show in Berlin, Germany, as it seeks to pursue trade engagements in Europe focusing on avocado and blueberry buyers.

The Nairobi Securities Exchange-listed firm will be one of the 2594 international fresh produce trade stakeholders participating in the trade show set for February 8-10.

Speaking when he confirmed the firm’s participation in the European market trade show, Kakuzi Plc Managing Director Christopher Flowers said the firm will be attending the trade fair on the back of a successful 2022 trading season which saw the firm close the year with a full order book for its avocados.

“Similar meetings with fresh produce stakeholders from the Far East are also planned to cement relationships with our esteemed Chinese clients further,” he said.

The firm’s participation in FRUIT LOGISTICA, Flowers said, is also part of Kakuzi’s contribution to national development by pursuing export-led growth opportunities.

“Every fruit we export carries the Kenya quality reputation. Both the Europeans and the new Chinese market are demanding high-quality fruit, and that’s got to be our enduring objective; giving our customers a fruit they want more of while sustaining Kenya’s market and brand positioning,” Flowers said.

According to FRUIT LOGISTICA’s latest European Statistics Handbook, a shift towards price as a critical driver of consumer spending is emerging as a key market trend.

The report confirms that “Despite a market recovery post-Covid, demand and value are under pressure in some cases due to the cost of living crisis. For some consumers, the importance of drivers like sustainability, regionality and organics has decreased.”

The report indicates that avocados and blueberries remain in a prime position as some of the top five fresh fruits imported into Europe.

Respectively, in Italy and the United Kingdom, avocados are the leading fresh fruit imports, having registered an average of 12 and 15 percent volume growth in the last decade.

FRUIT LOGISTICA is the leading trade show for the global fresh produce business and represents the entire value-added chain for the fresh produce industry from producer to point of sale.