Anise Spices, Nuts and Grains was borne out of Mary Kamanda’s experience as a fresh produce farmer and supplier from Nairobi, Kenya in 2016. Growing up in Eldoret, one of Kenya’s best known agricultural hubs in the Rift Valley region, Mary developed a knack for business early on...

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She worked with her siblings every single day at the family shop run by her father when she was of school going age. Here she learned to keep shop with discipline and a host of business skills.

 

Mary says of her experience at the shop, “All my siblings and I swore never ever to keep a shop because of our childhood experiences but never say never - I ended up going back - I have benefited so much from the training and discipline of my childhood.  I now realize that the challenge then was meant to be my joy and commitment to serve.”

 

Following a long, industrious career in administration, logistics and NGO work, Mary ventured into farming in 2012. She, together with her immediate family invested in a farming business- Kigelia Fresh Produce where she learnt the ins and outs of agribusiness as she sought to find her footing while still employed.

 

The family farm, however, was not for her. She wanted to find a value stream where she could put her talents to better use. She took a honey processing and packaging course at the Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute as she put her thinking cap on.

 

After the course at KIRDI, Mary was able to secure a shop space at the Village Market in Nairobi. Here, Anise Spices, Nuts and Grains begun life in 2017. Anise aims to be a leader in nutrition and healthcare in the region because Mary believes that you are what you eat. Nuts and Grains form the cornerstone of regional nutrition practices with spices adding a tasty twist.

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