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Kensalt Ltd is the largest and one of the most reliable suppliers of high-quality Refined Table salt in East Africa. You will find a packet of Kensalt in almost every kitchen in Kenya. Mansukh Patel, a renowned farmer and industrialist, is the founder and owner of the Malindi-based company.
Before establishing a continental presence, Kensalt had a partnership with the government through Industrial Commercial Development Corporation (ICDC) and Italian Italian-based firm, Saltec International.
Kensalt is Africa’s second-largest producer of salt with an estimated annual output of one million tonnes.
The Company controls close to 90 per cent of the local market and above 50 per cent of the export market in the EAC. Kensalt was a Parastatal Corporation until it was privatised.
Before privatisation, the current promoters invested heavily in capacity building, technology, and product innovation.
The vision was to foster enhanced and further development at Kensalt, both in the salt and non-salt industries.
In 2012, the company introduced a Film (Plastic) division for making packing materials as a backwards integration.
Two years later, the company commenced construction of a new factory for making Pure Vacuum Dried Salt using a different technology.
The PVD factory has been in operation since April 2015. It is probably only the third Pure Vacuum Dried Salt factory in Africa.
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Dam Tragedy
Patel maintained a low profile until May 9, 2018, when the mega dam on his 3,000-acre farm in Solai burst its banks, leaving 48 people dead and left at least 5,000 people displaced.
The dam washed away homes, cars, and huge rocks from the surrounding villages of Energy, Nyakinyua, Endao, Milmet and Arutani towards the other villages downstream.
His son, Perry Mansukh, the managing director of Solai Group, was among nine people arrested and charged with the tragedy.
He was, however, released by the High Court in Naivasha for lack of evidence.
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Mansukh Patel Properties
Patel owned the Solai Group of companies, which include Kensalt Ltd, and Solai Coffee Estates, which grows flowers, macadamia, coffee, and other horticultural products for export.
He also controlled Thika’s 65-hectare Enkasiri Flowers, Nairobi Ceramics, and a company known as Supplies and Services Ltd.
Death
Mansukh died on June 28, 2021, while undergoing treatment at a local hospital in Nairobi.
His family said he reportedly succumbed to cardiac arrest.
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