Pius Ngugi is a Kenyan entrepreneur and renowned coffee farmer with extensive experience in the coffee industry.
Born on March 8, 1944, in Kiambu County, Ngugi is one of Kenya’s most prominent agribusiness tycoons whose ventures span coffee, nuts, wine, insurance, and real estate.
As a seasoned coffee farmer with decades of experience, Ngugi has been instrumental in transforming Kenya’s coffee sector.
Since the early 1990s, he has championed the interests of small-scale farmers—who produce about 60% of Kenya’s coffee—through farmer sensitization, improved services, and better production practices.
Pius Ngugi, Billionaire Who Owns Kenya Nut Company
Ngugi is the founder and owner of Kenya Nut Company, established in the 1970s, which processes and exports macadamia and cashew nuts to markets around the world.
The company’s popular brands include Out of Africa Nuts, Nassu Snacks, Aberdare Tea, and Leleshwa Wines.
Beyond nuts, he owns Thika Coffee Mills, a major processor and exporter of specialty coffee, and has invested in the insurance sector through shares in Kenya Alliance Insurance.
He is also a shareholder in Tatu City, a multi-billion-shilling real estate development spanning 5,000 acres and featuring residential, commercial, and recreational spaces.
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Ngugi’s other ventures include sweet manufacturing, dairy farming, and automobile trading through Amazon Motors.
In 1972, he ventured into macadamia farming—foreseeing the nut’s global potential and turning it into a multimillion-shilling enterprise.
Over time, his foresight and business acumen helped him build a diversified empire rooted in agriculture and innovation.
Ngugi once made headlines for a legal dispute with politician Esther Passaris, who sued him over an alleged breach of a promise to marry—a case that briefly thrust the usually private billionaire into the public spotlight.
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About Kenya Nut Company
Kenya Nut Company was established in 1974 in the Kenyan highlands with a mission to produce high-quality macadamia and cashew nuts.
Over the years, the company has diversified its operations to include coffee, chocolates, and natural oils.
Today, it employs over 4,000 people and manages seven farms covering more than 8,000 acres. With a fully integrated production system — from seedling cultivation to finished products — Kenya Nut serves both local and international markets.
Kenya Nut Company’s brands include Leleshwa Wines, Out of Africa, and Nutfields.
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