TABITHA KARANJA PROFILE
| DATE OF BIRTH | August 29, 1964 |
| GENDER | Female |
| FAMILY | Married to Joseph Muigai Karanja, 4 children |
| OCCUPATION | Entrepreneur, politician |
Tabitha Karanja Biography
Tabitha Karanja is a prominent entrepreneur and businesswoman currently serving as the Senator of Nakuru County.
She is the founder of Keroche Breweries, Kenya’s first local brewery, and has played a pioneering role in the liquor industry.
After leading Keroche Breweries for 25 years, Tabitha stepped down from her position as CEO to focus on her political career as the elected Senator for Nakuru County and the Deputy Majority Leader in the Kenyan Senate on June 12, 2023.
Following her departure, Potas Anaya, the former Chief Financial Officer, took over as the new CEO.
How Kercohe Breweries was Founded
Tabitha co-founded Keroche, originally named Keroche Industries Limited, alongside her husband, Joseph Muigai Karanja, in 1997 on their family farm in Naivasha. Keroche Breweries is recognized as the first locally owned brewery to break an 80-year monopoly in Kenya’s liquor market, which was dominated by East Africa Breweries Limited (EABL).
The Karanja family began their entrepreneurial journey with just five employees, initially focusing on producing fortified wines.
Since its inception, Keroche Breweries has undergone several expansion phases and has become the second-largest brewery in Kenya.
Also Read: Senator Tabitha Karanja Breaks Silence on Being Hospitalized in London
In a past media interview, Tabitha revealed that her vision for starting Keroche Breweries developed while working alongside her husband in their hardware business.
“As we sold hardware materials to customers, I consistently believed that we could also manufacture something, just like the manufacturers of the products we were selling. Thus, we surveyed the market and identified a gap in alcohol manufacturing. Our research showed that low-end consumers were underserved, while high-end consumers had limited choices,” Tabitha stated.
Like any other business, Tabitha’s company has faced challenges since its inception.
In 2004, the Kenyan government banned the sale of alcoholic drinks in sachets of less than 250 milliliters to curb youth access and address health concerns. Keroche Breweries, which used sachets for some of its brands, pledged to make its products less accessible to minors.
In 2007, a sharp increase in excise taxes on wine forced Keroche to abandon its fortified wine line, sparking a tax dispute with the KRA over product classification. In response, the company diversified its offerings by launching the ready-to-drink vodka brand Viena Ice and making a bold entry into the beer market in 2008.
Career
Keroche’s move directly challenged the long-standing dominance of EABL. That same year, it launched its flagship beer, Summit Lager, followed by Summit Malt and KB Lager, supported by significant investments in a modern brewing plant in Naivasha.
Currently, Keroche Breweries is not operational due to ongoing issues arising from a protracted tax dispute with the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA). This dispute, which dates back to between 2002 and 2006, began with tax demands related to Keroche’s fortified wine products and has resulted in a long series of legal battles affecting the company.
Family
Tabitha is married to Joseph Karanja, and together they have four children: two boys, James Karanja and Edward Muigai, and two girls, Anerlisa Muigai and Tecra Muigai, who is deceased.
After completing her A-Level education, she had a brief stint as an untrained teacher and later worked as a Library Administrator with the Ministry of Tourism. Tabitha holds a degree in Business Administration.
Also Read: Keroche Accuses KRA Of Disobeying Court Order On Reopening
Among her many accomplishments, she was voted Business Woman of the Year during the East African round of the CNBC Africa Business Leaders Awards in 2013. Additionally, she received the Moran of the Burning Spear (MBS) award from former President Mwai Kibaki in 2010 for her contributions towards liberalizing the Kenyan liquor industry.
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