Product 05 · Export from Kenya

Kenya Cut Flowers Exporter

Kenya is one of the world's top cut-flower exporters and the leading supplier of roses to the European Union. High-altitude equatorial sunshine produces bright colours, big heads and long vase life.

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Overview

Our flowers are grown by Kenya Flower Council members around Lake Naivasha, Nakuru, Mt Kenya (Nanyuki, Timau), Thika, Athi River and the western highlands at Eldoret and Kitale. Twelve hours of equatorial daylight and cool highland nights give firm stems, intense colour and slow opening.

Flowers are cut, hydrated, graded and pre-cooled on the farm, then trucked in cold chain to JKIA Nairobi or Eldoret for overnight air freight to Europe, the Middle East and beyond. We supply direct boxed sales to importers, wholesalers, supermarkets and florists, and consign to the Dutch auction on request.

Typical buyers: Flower importers, auction traders, wholesalers, florists and supermarket chains.

Types, varieties, grades & specifications

6 types available. Specifications are typical; exact parameters are confirmed per lot on the quotation and certificate of analysis.

Type 1 of 6

T-Hybrid Roses (large-headed)

Premium high-altitude roses with 5–7 cm heads — red (Rhodos, Freedom-type), white, pink, bicolours.

T-hybrid (tea-hybrid) roses are Kenya's premium rose category, grown mostly at 2,000–2,600 m around Mt Kenya, Nakuru and the Rift Valley. The cool, sunny highlands produce big heads, strong straight stems and saturated colours, with slow opening and long vase life. Popular Kenyan-grown varieties include Rhodos and Red Calypso (red), Athena and Avalanche+ (white), Sweet Avalanche and Pink Floyd (pink), Penny Lane and Tacazzi.

Typical uses & buyers

Premium florist and event work
Valentine's Day and Mother's Day programmes
Flower auctions and importers
Luxury bouquets and hotels

Sample: $8.50/kg (indicative) Quote this type Order sample

Specifications

Type	large-headed T-hybrid roses
Popular varieties	Rhodos, Red Calypso, Athena, Avalanche+, Sweet Avalanche, Pink Floyd, Penny Lane, Tacazzi, Upper Class, Madam Red
Stem length	50, 60, 70, 80, 90 cm
Head size	5–7 cm (high altitude)
Bunching	10 or 20 stems per bunch
Vase life	10–14 days with proper care
Post-harvest	hydrated in solution, pre-cooled to 2–4 °C
Packing	full / half / quarter boxes, sleeved bunches
Grown at	2,000–2,600 m

Type 2 of 6

Intermediate Roses

Mid-size roses for supermarket bouquets and wholesale.

Intermediate roses sit between T-hybrids and sweethearts in head size and are the workhorse of European supermarket bouquets. They are grown widely around Naivasha, Thika and Athi River, offer strong value per stem and come in a very wide colour range.

Typical uses & buyers

Supermarket bouquets and mono bunches
Wholesale and cash-and-carry
Mixed bouquet makers
Everyday florist stock

Sample: $7.00/kg (indicative) Quote this type Order sample

Specifications

Type	intermediate roses
Stem length	40, 50, 60, 70 cm
Head size	3.5–5 cm
Bunching	10, 20 or 25 stems
Colours	red, white, pink, yellow, orange, bicolours
Vase life	9–12 days
Packing	boxed or bucket (wet-pack) for supermarkets
Grown at	1,500–2,100 m

Type 3 of 6

Sweetheart Roses

Small-headed roses, high stem count per kg — ideal for bouquets.

Sweetheart roses have small heads on fine stems and are produced in high volumes per square metre. They are popular in mixed bouquets and sold in bunches of 10–25 at attractive price points.

Typical uses & buyers

Mixed bouquets
Promotional and price-point bunches
Bouquet manufacturers

Sample: $6.50/kg (indicative) Quote this type Order sample

Specifications

Type	small-headed roses
Stem length	35–60 cm
Head size	2.5–3.5 cm
Bunching	10, 20, 25 stems
Vase life	8–12 days
Packing	boxes or buckets

Type 4 of 6

Spray Roses

Multi-headed roses for arrangements and weddings.

Spray roses carry several small blooms on one stem, giving volume and texture to arrangements. Kenya grows a wide range including white, blush, pink and bright colours, with many varieties used heavily in wedding and event floristry. Popular varieties include Snowflake, Lydia, Mimi Eden, Majolica and Babe.

Typical uses & buyers

Wedding and event floristry
Hand-tied bouquets
Mixed supermarket bouquets
Corsages and table arrangements

Sample: $8.00/kg (indicative) Quote this type Order sample

Specifications

Type	spray (multi-headed) roses
Popular varieties	Snowflake, Lydia, Mimi Eden, Majolica, White Majolica, Babe, Fire Flash
Stem length	40–70 cm
Heads per stem	3–8
Bunching	10 stems
Vase life	10–12 days
Packing	boxed bunches

Type 5 of 6

Carnations (standard & spray)

Long-lasting carnations in a wide colour range.

Carnations are among the longest-lasting cut flowers. Kenya grows standard (single large bloom) and spray (several smaller blooms) carnations in the cool highlands, including bicolours and novelty colours. They are prized for durability in bouquets and arrangements.

Typical uses & buyers

Supermarket bouquets
Funeral and sympathy work
Events and buttonholes
Long-life mono bunches

Sample: $7.00/kg (indicative) Quote this type Order sample

Specifications

Types	standard and spray carnations
Stem length	50–70 cm
Bloom size	5–7 cm (standard)
Colours	white, red, pink, yellow, bicolour, novelty
Bunching	10 or 20 stems
Vase life	14–21 days
Storage	1–2 °C

Type 6 of 6

Summer Flowers & Fillers

Gypsophila, alstroemeria, hypericum, lisianthus, statice, chrysanthemum, eryngium, solidago.

Kenya's summer flowers and fillers add colour, texture and volume to bouquets. Gypsophila (baby's breath), alstroemeria, hypericum berries, lisianthus, disbud and spray chrysanthemums, statice, eryngium and solidago are grown across Naivasha, Nyandarua and Mt Kenya. Mixed boxes let buyers build complete bouquet programmes from one origin.

Typical uses & buyers

Bouquet fillers and mixed bouquets
Wedding and event floristry
Dried-flower makers (statice, gypsophila)
Florist wholesale

Sample: $7.50/kg (indicative) Quote this type Order sample

Specifications

Gypsophila	Xlence / Million Star types, 60–80 cm, 25–80 g bunches
Alstroemeria	60–80 cm, 4–8 heads per stem
Hypericum	berries in red, green, pink, cream; 50–70 cm
Lisianthus	single & double, 60–80 cm
Chrysanthemum	disbud & spray, 60–80 cm
Statice / limonium	50–70 cm
Eryngium & solidago	50–70 cm
Vase life	7–21 days depending on species
Packing	mixed boxes available

Growing & production areas in Kenya

Growing / production area	Altitude	Notes
Naivasha & Nakuru	1,800–2,100 m	Kenya's flower capital — large rose and summer-flower farms around Lake Naivasha.
Mt Kenya region (Nanyuki, Timau, Nyeri)	2,000–2,600 m	High-altitude premium roses with large heads and long stems.
Thika, Kiambu & Athi River	1,500–1,800 m	Intermediate and sweetheart roses close to JKIA.
Eldoret & Kitale	2,000–2,500 m	Roses and summer flowers flown from Eldoret International Airport.
Nyandarua & Kinangop	2,300–2,700 m	Cool-climate summer flowers and roses.

Bouquet of red roses on a dark background

Trade information

Season

Year-round. Peak demand: Valentine's Day (February), Mother's Day (March–May by market) and Christmas.

Minimum order

From 1 box (direct), or standing weekly orders; consignment to auction available.

Packaging

Standard flower boxes: full, half and quarter boxes (sleeved bunches)
Bucket / wet-pack for supermarkets
Bouquets made-up at the farm on request

Logistics & Incoterms

Air freight from JKIA (NBO) and Eldoret (EDL) — daily departures
Cold chain at 2–4 °C from farm to aircraft
Incoterms: FCA Nairobi, CPT/CIP destination airport

Certifications

Kenya Flower Council (KFC) Silver / Gold
MPS-ABC / MPS-SQ
Fairtrade
Rainforest Alliance
GlobalG.A.P.

Export documents

Phytosanitary certificate (KEPHIS)
Certificate of Origin / EUR.1
Air Waybill
AFA HCD export licence
Packing list with variety & stem counts

HS codes: 0603.11 (roses) · 0603.12 (carnations) · 0603.19 (other cut flowers)

Export destinations for Kenyan cut flowers

Market-specific guidance on ports, transit times and import requirements.

🇳🇱Cut Flowers to NetherlandsRotterdam (NLRTM)Sea 22–32 days · Air 8–9 hours 🇬🇧Cut Flowers to United KingdomFelixstowe (GBFXT)Sea 24–35 days · Air 1 day 🇩🇪Cut Flowers to GermanyHamburg (DEHAM)Sea 25–35 days · Air 1 day

Frequently asked questions

How quickly do flowers arrive?

Flowers cut today are usually on an overnight flight within 24–48 hours and reach European buyers the next morning.

Can I order mixed boxes?

Yes — mix rose varieties, colours and summer flowers by box. Share your weekly requirement and we will build a standing programme.

How is a flower sample calculated?

Samples are priced by weight using our indicative international price plus USD 1/kg; air freight is quoted on the invoice.

Buyer guides

Guides for importers

Product Buying Guides

Kenyan Roses Wholesale: How to Import Cut Flowers Direct from Kenyan Farms

Varieties, head sizes, stem lengths, boxes and air logistics for wholesalers, florists and supermarkets buying Kenyan flowers direct.

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Sourcing Countries

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Import How-To Guides

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Ready to import from Kenya?

Tell us the product, variety, quantity, Incoterm (FOB / CIF / CFR / DAP) and your destination port or airport. We reply with a formal quotation, usually within one business day.

Request a Quotation Order a Sample