Why Buyers Should Flock Nakuru 
You might think of Nakuru as an ultimate “Cereal region” by victim of being the Kenya’s biggest producer of barley and wheat, but over the past one decade it has become famous for a rather more fragrant crop.
Nakuru is the country’s secondlargest exporter of cut flowers, 80 per cent of which are roses. It is an industry that employed about 35,000 people and generated about 25% of flower business last year. According to generated stories, Nakuru’s success comes down to its latitude: only on the equator, so the story goes, do roses grow perfectly straight. But, attractive though it sounds, this is a myth, according to researchers. “Nakuru is a great place to cultivate roses, but they are no straighter,” says Mr. Andrew Wambua, General Manager, Molo River Farm. “The real advantage is that you get natural light all year round, so you can grow anytime and don’t have to use a lot of artificial illumination.”
Most of Nakuru’s rose farms are found in the are of Njoro, Mau Narok, Ravine, Salgaa, Bahati, Nyahururu and Molo at an altitude of between 1,800 and 2,100 for small heads and 2,200 and 2,700 metres for big heads. This too has a significant impact. “Roses grown at high altitude have a much longer growing cycle than those cultivated at sea level, up to 15 weeks as opposed to eight, so it is perfect for long-stemmed varieties with big heads,” says a grower. “The cold nights mean that you get a lot of bicolours, with contrasting hues on the edges and the insides of petals, which are very sought after in certain markets.”
The growth of Nakuru’s floriculture industry was kickstarted in 1990s by the Sian Group and Suera Flowers. Today all the main growing and exporting flower groups and companies have farms in Nakuru with an exception of maybe five. Marking their presence is the Sian Group, Mzurrie Group, Megaspring group, Xpression Flora, Spin Knit, Fontana group, PJ group, Subati, Carzan group, Kariki group among many others. Looking at the list one will agree that “who is who” in the flower industry is well represented in the region.
Buyers should Visit
If you are a flower buyer, then, next time you visit Kenya, it may be to your advantage you visit Nakuru. I may not give you the clearest picture of rose growing but be sure to find state of the art projects planting the best varieties using the newest technologies and best agricultural practices. As one of the growers summed, “In Nakuru God grows Flowers, we only manage”. For the last 17 years as the Floriculture editor, I have toured almost all the farms and composed some exciting stories. I cannot enumerate all but below are excerpts picked randomly without any order of uniqueness but for the purposes of enriching the article from my previous articles on a few of the farms.
Agriflora Kenya Ltd
It is one of the Sian Roses farms and is situated in Njoro, 20km west of Nakuru town at an altitude of 2,150m above the sea level. The farm was established in 1995 and has consistently been growing and exporting roses and calla lilies (Zantedeschia) since then. Sian has embraced biological controls as part of the integrated pest management strategy. The process has helped in the reduction of environmental and economic risks by promoting low-cost pest managements as a result of reduced use of chemicals and fertilizers, thus makes it an ecologically friendly option. The farm has also invested millions in their CSR program and helped the surrounding community.
Fontana Group
Fontana Ltd is a group concentrated on growing the highest quality roses. The group consists of four farms namely: DIYA – This is the mother farm located in Salgaa an altitude of 1950m. AKINA – The smallest of the four farms’ it is based in Njoro an altitude of 2300m. AYANA – The farm is based in Mau Narok and is has the highest altitude of 2600m. ALISHA (Mau Flora Ltd) The newest farm is based in Molo at an altitude of 2400m. Collectively, Fontana Ltd has over 100 hectares under greenhouse growing over 30 varieties from globally known various breeders. Each farm has its own propagation producing high quality grafted and t-budded plants.
The group is committed to consistently produce roses of the highest quality, by keeping up to date with the latest production techniques, ensuring strict quality control, and taking utmost care in handling the valuable produce to ensure roses meet the high expectations of their consumers.
Bliss Flora Limited
The farm was started in 2011 at an altitude of 2375m. The initial project was 20 hectares currently standing at 35 hectares with a possibility to grow. It is a sister company to Buds and Blooms which began operations in 1994 in Nakuru.
Having put up a farm in the area created a lot of employment to many people residing there. This has made the area booming with cash flow and quite peaceful as some of the neighbors mentioned. The company’s initial phase roses were sold through the auction and later expanded to direct sales and they have kept the two markets to date.
Currently the farm grows over 20 varieties of premium exporting an average of 100 stems of roses per square meter.
Kariki Group
The Kariki Group was founded by Richard Fernandes in 2002 on Bondet Farm with his brother Andrew joining him a few years later, close to Nanyuki on the slopes of Mt Kenya. Subsequent expansions have led to the development of 3 additional farms in the Thika, Naivasha and Molo areas, with over 100 ha of cut flowers under production. The core focus was and still is on growing niche summer flower crops with Eryngium Questar and Hypericum Flair series initially being the main focus, however more recently Roses, Hydrangea, Phlox, Astrantia, Ornithogalum and other summer flowers have been added to the product portfolio.
The Kariki Group comprises four flower farms located at differing altitudes in Kenya offering a climatical spread which allows a wide range of flowers to be grown. The group focuses on supplying a quality product to a global customer base reaching across Europe, Australia, Japan, USA, Canada and other parts of the globe. Kariki Group employs around 1,300 staff who are referred to as value adders.
Porini Flowers 
Porini Flowers, established in 2011, is a leading flower farm in Kenya founded with the aim of producing only the best export quality, flowers. The background of Porini Flowers is backed by over a decade of unrivaled experience at Isinya Roses, leading to an ambition to produce extra premium quality roses.
Porini Flowers is about 26.5 hactares rose farm and a 2hA carnations farm that stands at an altitude of 2865 meters above sea level, making it the only farm in Kenya at such a high altitude. The aim is to produce the best, consistent, premium quality roses with long stems and bigger heads.
Ravine Roses
Ravine Roses is part of Karen Roses Limited Group, a company established in 1989. After few years of activity in Karen, Nairobi, the decision was made to set up Ravine Roses and move the production to Eldama Ravine, approximately 220km north-west of Nairobi. Lying just a few miles north of the equator and about 2100m above sea level, this is a nearly ideal location and ecological environment for the cultivation of high quality roses.
Today, Ravine Roses is made up of five farms (Kapkolia, Chepsito, Kaptumpo, Simotwo, and Torongo), each run by a production manager and equipped with its own facilities. These farms employ around 1,200 full-time workers, a majority of which (52%) are women, making Ravine Roses the biggest employer in Eldama Ravine and surroundings. The role played by the enterprise in the economy of the region is even greater considering that this is an area with high rates of youth unemployment and is mainly inhabited by subsistence farmers.
Subati Flowers Ltd
Subati Flowers Ltd. is a grower and exporter of over 100 varieties of spray and single head roses. The roses are grown in at an altitude of 2,200m above sea level, giving rise to exceptionally high quality T-Hybrid roses exporting million of stems a year to different countries around the world.
The Subati brand is very well known in the Flower Industry and continues to be a preferred supplier to many. They pride of the best quality flowers with exceptional customer service. The flowers are grown in both soil and hydrophonics.
The control of temperature and humidity in the greenhouse is very important in the growing process and is controlled by automated moveable vents and fans. When the roses reach their correct cut stage they are harvested and placed in bundles of stems. These bundles are then wrapped in nets and the nets are placed in buckets, which contain post harvest solution. These are then transported to the grading hall where the post harvest process takes place.
Suera Flowers
Suera Flowers is one of Kenya’s leading flower farms and uses only non-hazardous chemicals in line with European regulations, and is at the forefront in establishing a cleaner environment via the development of wetlands.
Suera is located in Nyahururu near the Thompson Falls at an altitude of 2300 meters. Suera is a family company founded in 1996. Divided over three locations, that are located close to each other, Suera covers 30 hectares where mainly roses are being grown. Each year, around millions of roses are exported. It is “A company built on loyalty…….Founded on dedication”
Mzurrie Group
Mzurrie group has two farms in Nakuru area. The farms embrace Total Quality Management Practices and are committed to understanding their customer needs and endeavoring to satisfy these needs to the best of our ability.
Their roses are of superior quality in terms of head size and vase life (11-14 days). They have also adopted integrated pest management practices to ensure economical means of pest management with least effect on people, property and environment around us.
The innovative organization with an eye of meeting their promise of superior quality to their customers has embraced modern growing techniques including use of light screens to control radiation, use of misters to control humidity, use of banana transport system to reduce on damages on the roses among other innovations.
At Mzurrie Flowers choice is of essence with a wide range of products with a well balanced colour range giving the customer a one stop shop for all their colour requirements. The group ensures their customers get timely information on their orders and their enquiries.
They are sensitive to the environment in all aspects of their operations and have integrated with the surrounding communities to foster development in the neighborhood through various corporate social responsibility programmes.
The staff is committed to quality service and products to wholesomely meet and satisfy their customer’s needs.
Carzan Flowers Ltd
Carzan Flowers Ltd is a merger of the parent company of carzan Cultures and laboratories Ltd and sister company Kipipiri Flowers Ltd and Shantara Ltd. Carzan was established in 1992 as a small family business, which has grown into fullyfledged commercial operation with three farms and production of over 100 million stems annually. These two farms are at vey distinct and separate location to enable the best growing climate for each variety. For example the carnations are grown at high altitude farm of 2350 metres above sea level. The farms are bursting with an abundance of varieties with vibrant colours along with many long stalks favourites such as carnations, hypercum, solidago, Luminium etc.
Quality is carzan’s mantra. They have set up strong quality procedures across the company from propagation plating methods, harvesting, grading, post harvest treatments, cool chain management to transport logistics ensuring even the smallest detail does escape their attention.
Industry Growth
In the early years, rapid growth was accompanied by criticism of the wages and working conditions of flower workers, but after a lot of teething problems, the industry has cleaned up its act. Regulations covering the use of chemical pesticides are much more strictly enforced and today the sector has one of the highest minimum wages in the region.
In a spin-off from the improvements in working practices and conditions, Nakuru rose farms have now become visitor attractions. Growth has been rapid in the area. According to sources, we are foreseen an expansion of another 300ha in five years time. This will make Nakuru the single biggest growing region in the country.
The higher altitude farms specialise in the premium long-stemmed varieties with large heads that are particularly prized in Russia and other direct markets. The lower altitude specialise in the other varieties. This makes Nakuru the biggest single planting region where you can get all your needs.
Traditionally, the Netherlands has been the biggest market for Nakuru’s flowers, accounting for 80 per cent of exports in 1990s. Today that figure has fallen to below 50 per cent and direct market exports have increased. Whereas the auction and their customers prefer shorter flowers, direct markets especially Russian consumers like large roses of between 90cm and 100cm, which can cost significantly more.
The recent economic crisis in Russia, prompted by the fall in oil prices and sanctions over Ukraine, has had a significant impact on the Nakuru rose industry. High altitude farms are now attempting to reorientate themselves to the auction market and its preference for shorter and cheaper roses. This has affected them and hope the Russian market is back to the fullest soon.
Mr. Sachin Appachu of Bliss Flora, is confident that in the long term the industry will continue to thrive, but he is realistic about the challenges. “Nakurus’s competitive advantages are its unique climate conditions and its innovation,” he says. “With the present world situation, an important group of companies has shifted markets without having time to change product characteristics and marketing strategies, having much lower prices than expected. And it’s more likely that more Russian-oriented companies will keep changing part of their sales to other destinations. A complete process of change takes time.”
At the moment, the lorryloads of roses are still trundling down Nakuru-Nairobi highway, still the market offers little to be pesmisstic about. Next time you need a rose, think of Nakuru.