Flamingo Horticulture Kenya Reinvests VAT Refunds to Scale Export Capacity and Create 2,000 Jobs

The project focuses on increasing production of Fairtrade-accredited, packed-at-source bouquets for international markets, particularly the United Kingdom and Europe. Flamingo currently exports more than 750 million flower stems annually, and the new investment marks a strategic shift towards higher-value, source-packed agribusiness models.

·       Driving Value Addition and Export Competitiveness

·       The reinvestment will modernise operations across Flamingo’s 1,630-hectare footprint in Naivasha. Key components of the expansion include:

·       Creation of 2,000 additional direct jobs, building on an existing workforce of 12,000

·       Continued support for 6,000 supply-chain partners and outgrowers

·       Upgrading of two state-of-the-art packhouses to support packed-at-source exports

·       Deployment of locally developed climate-smart technologies, including proprietary water-use systems and integrated pest management

By increasing packed-at-source capacity, Flamingo will bypass European auction houses, allowing higher value retention within Kenya and improving margins across the local value chain. The company maintains a 48-hour farm-to-retail timeline from Lake Naivasha to European supermarket shelves, underscoring Kenya’s logistics and cold-chain competitiveness.

Strong Government–Investor Collaboration

The expansion was formally announced in July 2025 at the Kenya Investment Forum in the United Kingdom, attended by H.E. Dr. William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya. The announcement highlighted growing international confidence in Kenya’s horticulture sector and the country’s attractiveness as an agribusiness investment destination.

At the project’s groundbreaking ceremony, Hon. Mutahi Kagwe, Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock, noted that Flamingo’s decision to reinvest locally reflects increasing confidence in Kenya’s economy. He described the company’s evolution from its origins as Homegrown Kenya in 1982 into a vertically integrated global exporter as a benchmark for industrial-scale agribusiness development.

The Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry confirmed that the project aligns with government efforts to capture a larger share of the global value chain. The State Department for Investments, Trade and Industry is currently auditing export-related charges and re-engineering Special Economic Zone (SEZ) frameworks to better support agro-industrial exporters.

“Kenya is moving from being a source of raw commodities to a value-driven exporter integrated into global supply chains,” said Abubakar Hassan Abubakar, State Department for Investments, Trade and Industry.

Reinforcing Kenya’s Agribusiness Investment Case

Flamingo’s reinvestment underscores Kenya’s competitiveness as a destination for large-scale agribusiness investment and highlights the role of policy certainty in unlocking private-sector growth.

“The expansion will not only strengthen Kenya’s position in global markets but also catalyse job creation and value-added growth for local communities. Invest Kenya remains committed to supporting investors like Flamingo who are driving sustainable growth and inclusive economic transformation in the agricultural sector,” said John Mwendwa, OGW, Chief Executive Officer, Invest Kenya.

Commenting on the partnership, Olivia Streatfeild, Group CEO of Flamingo Group International Ltd, noted that the collaboration between Flamingo, the Government of Kenya, and international retail customers presents a significant growth opportunity for the country’s bottom-up economy.

“The future of Kenya’s horticulture is bright. Our Flamingo community is ready to drive the next phase of growth and innovation in packed-at-source bouquets,” she said.