Trader seeks cosmetic industry share with self-made avocado oil

In the outskirts of Nyeri town, within Majengo slums, Kennedy Thiong’o is busy sorting avocado in a crate. This has been his routine for the last one year.

The 24-year-old is not selling the fruits as is but preparing avocado oil to make cosmetic products for sale.

Avocados are said to contain chemicals that clear skin blemishes, elongate and strengthen human hair as well as remove wrinkles and moisturise the skin – effects which are highly sort after in the cosmetics industry.

“I started researching on the uses of avocados last year. I soon learnt that they are very versatile,” the young entrepreneur told the Enterprise during an interview at his shop.

Kennedy registered his company as Kencardo in February. He started the company with a Sh3,000 which was contributed by his family members.

Today his business earns him at least Sh20,000 every month, income Kennedy says can only increase with time. At the moment, Kennedy produces and sells just five litres of avocado oil from 80 kilogrammes of the fruit every month. A litre of the product retails at Sh4,000.

He adds that in countries such as New Zealand and Australia, a similar quantity would go for Sh7, 000.

“My biggest challenge is marketing my products. Most people do not know the benefits of the avocado fruit other than for dietary consumption,” says Kennedy.

Another setback is that the market is flooded by counterfeit beauty products. “Most people think I am swindling them with my products because some have not seen anything like this before.”

Avocado oil use in the cosmetics industry is growing, largely in France and Germany where it is used in cleansing creams, moisturisers, skin care products, hair conditioners, lipstick, sun lotions, bath oils and makeup bases.

The oil is said to contain vitamins A, D and E. One of its endearing qualities is that it does not have a strong smell, making it easy to use.

Kennedy buys the fruit from local farmers and traders. Each fruit retails at Sh3. To fasten the ripening he stores rotting materials underneath the crates carrying the fruits.

According to him, the avocado business is very lucrative overseas but has not picked locally despite the capacity to produce more here.

Demand for the refined avocado oil in Tanzania is much higher and better than it is in Kenya, he says.

Kenya is a big producer of avocados. Approximately 115,000 metric tonnes of the fruit are produced every year, compared to local consumption of 30,000 metric tonnes.

Approximately 100 million avocados are shipped out of the country annually, mostly to Europe. This amount is expected to double in the next five years, especially if the ban on exports to South Africa is lifted.

But with expanding uses for the fruit, Kennedy is daring young entrepreneurs to think about value addition as one good way of making money.

For youth who are afraid to step up and take risk into entrepreneurship, he says they should come up with different ideas and create jobs for themselves by doing unique things.