Before becoming one of Kenya’s most successful entrepreneurs, Kimani Rugendo was deeply involved in politics.
As chairman of the Ford-Asili party and a vocal advocate for political pluralism in the late 1980s, Rugendo was a familiar figure in Nairobi’s political circles.
After failing to win the Lang’ata parliamentary seat in the 1992 General Election, Kenyan politician-turned-investor Kimani Rugendo turned his focus to business.
He shifted his focus to business, determined to contribute to Kenya’s economic growth through entrepreneurship.
Kimani Rugendo – Turning a Setback into Opportunity
Using savings and support from friends and family, he founded Kevian Kenya Ltd, launching its first product, Mt. Kenya bottled water.
Initially targeting hotels in Mombasa and a handful of supermarkets in Nairobi, the venture coincided with a time when mineral water was a niche product in Kenya.
Challenges like the 1999 Likoni clashes, which negatively impacted the coastal tourism industry, prompted Rugendo to develop new ideas and expand his product range.
By 1995, Rugendo had moved into serious production, expanding into ready-to-drink fruit juices with Peek ‘N’ Peel and Afia Juice.
These brands quickly gained popularity, extending their reach to Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Zambia. Rising demand led to the establishment of a second factory in Thika in 2005, increasing production to 20,000 liters per hour for Peek ‘N’ Peel and 40,000 bottles per hour for Afia Juice.
Kevian Kenya continued to innovate, introducing carbonated, non-alcoholic malt drinks such as Plain Malt, Energy Malt, Lemon Malt, and Orange Malt. In 2015, the company invested Ksh2 billion in new production lines, launching coffee, tomato sauce, and packaged vegetable soups aimed at middle-class consumers and high-end hotels.
The Thika facility now produces more than 250 tonnes of products daily, employing over 800 staff and sourcing fresh fruits from thousands of small-scale farmers.
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International Support and Expansion
According to Forbes, Kevian Kenya has also leveraged international funding, securing a Ksh1.419 billion (USD 11 million) facility from DEG, a German government-owned development finance institution, to expand production and develop beverages for children and young adults.
This follows a previous KSh903 million (approximately USD 7 million) DEG loan in 2012, cementing Kevian Kenya as one of East Africa’s largest beverage companies, with revenues exceeding KSh2.58 billion (approximately USD 20 million).
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Beyond Beverages
Rugendo’s entrepreneurial spirit extends beyond beverages. He founded Sterling Kenya Ltd, which produces industrial tanks with a capacity of 100 tanks every six hours, employing over 60 staff.
His earlier company, Sterling Craft Ltd, established in the early 1980s, manufactures industrial equipment and military regalia, supplying items such as berets, medallions, ceremonial swords, and medals to the Kenya Police and Kenya Defense Forces.
In an interview with Enpact, Kimani Rugendo shared the following nine key success lessons:
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Keep your customer in focus
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Hold on to your staff
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Keep your word with your suppliers
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Maintain a good reputation in the market
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Recycle and save the environment
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Keep a work-life balance
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Hire the one who knows more than you
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Look for the value in every gap
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Build a network of reliable people
