Kenyan manufacturing facility enhances its production processes through an upscaling program.
Tengeneza na Somo is a pay-per-use manufacturing facility based in Kenya. The facility was founded by Somo Africa, an organization that is passionate about empowering micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) within the manufacturing industry. Tengeneza na Somo specializes in a range of natural products, including organic oils, soaps, and skin care products, using locally sourced ingredients.
Despite its innovative products, Tengeneza na Somo faced several challenges in scaling its manufacturing operations. The company lacked the necessary systems and processes to meet regulatory standards and produce competitive products.
This compliance setback is a common challenge faced by many manufacturing SMEs in Kenya. Most Kenyan entrepreneurs who establish businesses do not have sufficient knowledge of the industries they intend to specialize in or adequate business management skills (Kasi Insights, 2021). These entrepreneurs set up enterprises and try to wing them by learning and unlearning along the business. However, this method has caused many small enterprises to struggle with capacity challenges, and some face the risk of dying pre-mutually.
To address these challenges, Tengeneza na Somo enrolled in Invest in Africa's program for upscaling manufacturing SMEs in natural products in Kenya and Uganda. The program was implemented in partnership with GIZ Business Scouts for Development and enrolled 40 SMEs in the natural products clusters.
Tengeneza na Somo was represented in the program by its Production Manager, Seth Kyalo. Seth was excited about the opportunity to learn from industry experts and adopt industry-standard manufacturing practices that would enable the company to produce products that meet market standards and consumer expectations.
The program involved capacity building and technical support within five modules namely, good manufacturing practices, new product development, access to finance, transparency and traceability, and market access. The modules were designed to address the specific challenges faced by SMEs in the natural products industry and to provide practical solutions for improving their operations.
Through the program, Tengeneza na Somo adopted recommended processes and systems including documenting the standard production and machine cleaning processes. These improvements enabled the company to effectively support its clients and other enterprises in achieving competitive products that comply with market standards and consumer expectations.
“Right now Tengeneza na Somo is thriving in the manufacturing sector and is acknowledged by many MSMEs for its innovative natural products and industry-standard manufacturing practices. The company has become a model for other manufacturers and continues to play a key role in driving the growth of the natural products industry in Kenya,” remarks Seth.
