How I squeeze money out of my organic palm oil product

Palm oil. (Courtesy/iStockphoto)

Tell us about your product, organic palm oil.

We sell organic palm oil. In Kenya we are used to the vegetable oil, commonly called salad. Palm oil is basically that oil in its virgin state.

What usually happens is palm oil is taken in its virgin state and subjected to fortification, which is addition of vitamins, preservatives and other chemicals to make the vegetable oil we are used to be in its liquid and golden color.

In contrast, virgin palm oil is solid at room temperature and has a red/orange color to it.

Explain the process of how you come up with the final product.

Palm oil is produced by harvesting and steaming oil palm fruits, pressing them to extract crude palm oil and then boiling and filtering it to remove impurities before storage. We engage with the farmers to give us the raw product which is then processed into the final product.

Why is this product is unique?

Organic palm oil is a delicacy in most parts of Western and Central Africa for its natural nutrients, flavour and colour. It has several uses from cooking to skin and hair care. The main use of the oil is for cooking.

What makes it unique is that it gives consumers an alternative to the vegetable oil 1) for those who are used to this oil from their country of origin; 2) for those who are moving towards healthy lifestyle and want organic products 3) for those who want to try new flavors in their food.

How has your business journey been so far?

Generally, it has been great. We’ve had a fantastic reaction from the main market which is people with backgrounds from Western and Central Africa. They love the quality of the product and that they are able to get a taste of the food they love away from home without so much of a hustle to get the product.

So far, the product has also been received well by Kenyans which we did not really anticipate initially.

There is a growing number of people who want healthier options in their meals and this give them an alternative.

There are also those who want to try out some new flavor in their food and have been inquiring for more.

Pricing?

The price of the product varies depending on the season but roughly between Sh8,000 and 10,000 per 20-litre jerrican.

Your major challenge currently?

As with most starting business, the financial aspect remains the main challenge. Other than that there’s distribution. Clients want to access the products near where they live. As of now they can either get it in Central Business District or through delivery by motorbike. However some areas are a long distance away and the cost of delivery becomes a burden which the consumer does not want.

So we are currently working on ways to get the product closer to the clients.

So how are you reaching your customers?

We are now mainly doing digital marketing which has proven to be effective on reaching various potential customers. Our social media platform on Facebook, Instagram, X and Tiktok is @ Mebo products. In addition, from time to time, we do door to door marketing in areas we believe our potential clients can be.

Where are you currently located?

As of now we are located in Kileleshwa but are mainly doing online deliveries.

We plan to open our official shop in Nairobi CBD next year.

That is our main focus for now.

How should the government help young entrepreneurs and innovators like you?

The government should do more training on letting the youth know how they can open business and what government institutions can support them either financially or through their facilities.

With the stakeholders I would say also that they should also give trainings and mentorship on topics such as accounting, marketing, branding and laws that one should keep in mind as they start their business journeys.

Where possible they should also assist financially.