Kenyan agricultural exports are on the verge of a significant expansion into the United States following a successful trade mission to Nairobi by the U.S. Africa Trade Desk (USATD).
The high-level delegation was formally received by Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Senator Mutahi Kagwe, marking what both sides described as a “turning point” for Kenya’s agricultural export ambitions.
Led by USATD CEO Gavin van der Burgh, the delegation included Bill Fanjoy (VP, Trade Programs), Jeanah Lacey (Director, Special Projects), Frances Fraser (Director, Continental Services) and Shane Townsend.
During their visit, the team held extensive engagements with key government agencies and private-sector players across sectors such as floriculture, coffee, macadamia, apparel, grains, and animal feed.
Speaking during the engagements, CS Kagwe underscored the government’s commitment to strengthening Kenya’s agricultural exports through a private-sector-led model that emphasizes compliance, traceability, and value addition.
“We are going as private-sector as possible, supporting our producers to meet global demands through better pest control, post-harvest handling, and value addition. Kenya is ready and we want this partnership to transform livelihoods for our farmers,” said Kagwe.
He added that the Ministry would continue investing in systems that ensure Kenyan products meet U.S. market standards, aligning with President William Ruto’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), which prioritizes agricultural transformation and export diversification.
U.S. Market Priorities Identified
The USATD team announced immediate priority sectors for U.S. retail markets—including major chains such as Walmart—which will initially focus on fresh cut flowers, coffee, and macadamia nuts, with tea expected to follow in the second phase.
This latest milestone builds on CS Kagwe’s earlier trip to the U.S. in September, during which Kenya secured a commitment from Washington to expand the import window for Kenyan agricultural goods.
Early Export Wins
Among the key outcomes of the trade mission was the success of Nouvelle Blooms Ltd, an export company headquartered at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). The firm secured agreements to export over four million stems of premium Kenyan roses per month to the U.S. market and will also begin supplying specialty Kenyan coffee directly to American buyers.
Nouvelle Blooms also hosted the U.S. delegation for field visits in Naivasha and Nairobi, where officials toured major flower farms, coffee consolidators, the Coffee Directorate, Nairobi Coffee Exchange, quality control laboratories, and cargo handling facilities at JKIA. The tour also included engagements with the Horticultural Crops Directorate, underscoring Kenya’s readiness for full-scale export operations.
In the macadamia value chain, companies such as Macnut Consortium and other leading processors showcased their production capacity and compliance with U.S. food safety standards. As a result, macadamia nuts will form part of the first wave of Kenyan products destined for American retail outlets.
Boosting Local Industries
The strengthened partnership will not only open U.S. markets for Kenyan exports but also facilitate strategic imports to support domestic manufacturing and food security. Kenya will now be able to source key raw materials such as cotton for apparel and textiles and inputs for livestock feed production, supporting local textile mills, apparel factories, and the animal feeds industry.
These imports are expected to reduce production costs and stabilize supply chains across Kenya’s dairy, poultry, and livestock sectors, enhancing competitiveness and sustainability.
A Turning Point for Kenyan Agriculture
With clear frameworks emerging for compliance, export logistics, and buyer–seller linkages, both Kenyan and U.S. officials hailed the visit as a landmark step toward unlocking Kenya’s full agricultural export potential.
The move positions Kenya to become a global agri-export powerhouse, deepening its presence in premium markets and delivering better prices and more stable demand for local farmers.
As CS Kagwe concluded, “This partnership is about transforming the story of Kenyan agriculture—moving our farmers from surviving to thriving on the global stage.”
