10 years of growing quality summer flowers with clients in mind
The world of flower industry is highly dynamic. Flower varieties, production techniques and retailing arrangements are all undergoing continuous change. A number of trends are having a significant influence on the flower industry for example the increasing importance of quality products and the need to invest more capital to achieve this.
In this regard, at the shores of Lake Naivasha 10 years ago, a magnificent farming idea by the founders of Imani flowers to grow summer flowers was conceived. The initial acreage of 2 acres has now metamorphosized into 30 acres, selling flowers to the global sphere which has resulted to the farm relocating to Kabarak, Nakuru County; 25 kilometers from Nakuru town, off the Nakuru-Eldama Ravine road in search of bigger farm for planting and expansions. The farm is at an altitude of 1,890m above sea level.
According to Roy Gachoki the Managing Director of Imani Flowers, the story and journey of the farm, is synonymous with quality and consistency. Each process is carefully taken care of, from the farm to the market. Their high grade produce is aligned with the farm’s climatic conditions and the altitude, their focus being on the production of Limoniums and Anigozanthos varieties that continue to excite export markets.
“Our markets are diverse. The idea manifested from the thoughts and dreams of our C.E.O who was my late mother. Her strong spiritual believe is now what led to the name Imani, and now exists as a result of combined minds and efforts. Imani flowers, we are a family and we congregate as individuals to summon the gradual growth and progression of the company. Our vision is to become a world-class floriculture entity and be engaged in the progress of our community. “Our area of production coverage at the moment is 30 hectares; with plenty more room to spare, with an assortment of diverse summer flowers; Limoniums with a wide range of colors, Anigozanthos (kangaroo paw) also featuring diverse colors, and Sunflowers,” the Managing Director said
Imani flowers always places maximum efforts in ensuring that all of their flowers produced attain the desired market quality. They have in place an efficient system of control to ensure all aspects of growing and harvesting are followed. Their quality assurance department continuously reviews every product to ensure that they meet stringent quality criteria. This process is central to guarantee that their customers receive excellent flowers with great quality, proper grading and safe packaging.
With their new range specialization of the crop, the company confidently narrates they are among the best in cultivating Limoniums and Anigozanthos (kangaroo paw) and this has led them to winning various awards. In the Royal Flora Holand Auction, Imani Flowers is consistently rated ‘A’ ONE for their highest quality of flowers. During the 10th edition of IFTEX, Imani Flowers won the silver award in the category perishables. “Ever since we set up 10 years ago, one of our main driving forces which guides our philosophy and defines our DNA is that we do not compromise on quality. Taking shortcuts is not part of our ethos because we are consumer led and take time to listen to what the customers want and retool our business model to respond to their requests. This philosophy has given us a competitive edge in the market,” said Roy Gachoki.
Various markets have been receptive to Imani Flowers. Having started fully on auctions, the company has diversified to the Australia and Japan auction whilst also diverting some produce to direct markets in the Middle East. Our foothold in the various auctions has also garnered immense interest with clients who buy our products continually at these auctions. “We are keen on embracing clean, green and sustainable energy as part of our commitment to reduction of carbon footprint. Transitioning to solar energy will also see us reduce energy costs by around 15 to 20 percent while allowing us to have a consistent and uninterrupted power supply that will bolster our operations. For example, our irrigation is solarized, we use solar to irrigate our flowers,” Roy noted. Investment in these sustainable practices has seen the firm earn globally acclaimed accreditations such as MPS.
But like any other business, Imani Flowers has had to contend with a series of challenges.
Freight charges have gone up which has limited the business potential since they cannot supply to clients as much as they would like. Punitive taxation regime, high cost of farm inputs, double taxation, rising labor wages, energy costs and stagnant market prices that are associated with the sector have also affected the flower farm. He decries that Government policies in Kenya, changes very fast which is ridiculous and lacks of consistency. “You cannot predict amicably, one year can be different from the rest, you have seen what is happening with the Finance Bill which will affect business. Globally, Ukraine-Russia wars and Covid-19 all these have conspired to affect business,” he opined
For the 10 years, the farm has navigated various storms for it to remain standing. For instance, the farm has done lots of business but made lots of losses, pilferage, bad debts, cultivating varieties that weren’t suitable for their current environment. “We used to grow Gypsophilla on 12 hectares but we could not achieve the much-needed weight of the flowers in the market. Secondly, where we are domiciled is a flat land which is prone to water logging and susceptible host to fungal diseases hence the decision to focus on Limoniums and Anigozanthos (kangaroo paw) which are high value product and suitable for our environment,” he said.
The greatest asset the company counts on is its workers. The company embraces gender equality in the workplace. They have invested in their workers through trainings on various issues ranging from health and safety protocols, mental health, crop husbandry and financial management among others and incentives.
“When people are empowered to use their imagination, creativity and tenacity, they can deliver incredible results in unusual circumstances, at Imani we have created a culture of team work to promote work synergy. The employees own the company and at all times the employee have the interest of the company at heart,” said Mr. Roy.
The company is undeterred and has its eyes on a robust growth strategy. It is looking to expand its flower portfolio, brand expansion, market development and investment in a technology that will be used to measure the soil PH, deficiency of nutrients and give recommendations on what is to be rectified in order to enhance quality.
