
Delmonte has embarked on building a new fresh fruit packing facility in Murang’a county. The Sh580 million plant is set to boost the economies of the Murang’a and Kiambu counties, and provide employment to the region.
According to Del Monte’s Managing Director Stergios Gkaliamoutsas, the move to add a new plant will set the pace for the company’s plans to expand its production and distribution of fresh juice across the country.
The company has been producing pineapple, avocado, mangoes, and passion fruits and has various depots across the country.
“Del Monte Kenya plans to source fruit from local and regional growers in Murang’a and Kiambu counties. We will prepare and package the products from the new Del Monte facility for both local and international markets,” Gkaliamoutsas said.
The plant is set to be completed in August this year and will provide additional 200 job opportunities. Currently, the company has seen over 6,500 employees benefit from it, and over 28,000 jobs opportunities being created indirectly.
Since its establishment in the country, the company has been producing canned solid pineapple, and juice concentrates, mill juice sugar and cattle feed.
It is ranked as Kenya’s largest single manufacturer of canned pineapple for export.
The country ranks among the top five pineapple exporters in the world, both of which feats are direct results of the company’s existence and operations.