Product 06 · Export from Kenya

Kenya Fresh Vegetables & Fruits Exporter

Kenya is a leading supplier of fresh vegetables to Europe — especially fine French beans, mangetout and sugar snap peas — and a growing exporter of tropical fruits and Asian vegetables to the UK and the Gulf.

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Overview

Vegetables are grown by contracted smallholder outgrowers and commercial farms with irrigation, then graded, topped-and-tailed or bulk-packed in temperature-controlled packhouses near Nairobi. Most vegetables travel by air overnight; hardier lines move in reefer containers.

Our fruit range covers mangoes from Eastern and Coast regions, pineapples from Thika and Kilifi, purple passion fruit, and seasonal lines. All produce is traceable to farm with residue testing to EU and UK maximum residue levels (MRLs).

Typical buyers: Fresh-produce importers, food-service distributors, supermarkets and ethnic-food wholesalers.

Types, varieties, grades & specifications

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

Type 1 of 10

French Beans — Extra Fine / Fine

Kenya's signature export vegetable — slender, stringless beans, loose or topped & tailed.

Kenyan French beans (haricots verts) are Kenya's signature fresh-vegetable export, flown overnight to Europe year-round. Beans are hand-picked young for slender, straight, stringless pods with a deep green colour and tender, sweet crunch. They are graded by diameter, then supplied loose, topped-and-tailed or in retail packs.

Typical uses & buyers

Supermarket retail packs (loose / topped & tailed)
Food service and restaurants
Ready-meal and stir-fry pack manufacturers
Mixed vegetable packs

Sample: $4.20/kg (indicative) Quote this type Order sample

Specifications

Type	Phaseolus vulgaris, bush beans
Grades	Extra fine 5–6 mm · Fine 6–8 mm diameter
Length	9–14 cm, straight
Colour	uniform dark green, no rust or scars
Texture	stringless, tender, snaps cleanly
Presentation	loose, topped & tailed, or prepacked
Packing	3–5 kg cartons, or retail 150–250 g packs
Storage	4–7 °C, RH 95%
Shelf life	7–10 days from harvest
Freight	air (overnight to Europe)

Type 2 of 10

Bobby Beans

Thicker, fleshy beans for food service and processing.

Bobby beans are thicker, rounder, fleshier French beans harvested slightly later than fine beans. They hold up well to cooking and are favoured in food service, catering and processing where a meatier bean is preferred.

Typical uses & buyers

Food service and catering
Freezing and processing
Wholesale markets

Sample: $3.60/kg (indicative) Quote this type Order sample

Specifications

Diameter	8–10 mm
Length	10–15 cm
Colour	bright green
Packing	3–5 kg cartons
Storage	4–7 °C, RH 95%
Shelf life	7–10 days

Type 3 of 10

Mangetout (Snow Peas)

Flat, tender pea pods.

Mangetout are flat, thin-walled pea pods eaten whole before the peas develop. Kenyan mangetout grown in the cool highlands of Meru, Laikipia and Nyandarua are crisp, sweet and bright green, and are a staple of UK and European stir-fry ranges.

Typical uses & buyers

Retail packs and stir-fry mixes
Asian cuisine and food service
Salad and ready-meal manufacturers

Sample: $4.40/kg (indicative) Quote this type Order sample

Specifications

Type	Pisum sativum var. saccharatum
Length	6–10 cm, flat pods
Colour	bright green, no blemish
Texture	crisp, stringless, sweet
Packing	2–4 kg cartons or retail punnets
Storage	0–1 °C, RH 95%
Shelf life	7–10 days
Freight	air

Type 4 of 10

Sugar Snap Peas

Plump, sweet, crunchy edible pods.

Sugar snaps are plump, rounded edible pods with fully formed sweet peas inside. They are eaten raw or lightly cooked and are valued for sweetness and crunch. Kenya supplies them year-round from highland farms.

Typical uses & buyers

Snacking and salad packs
Stir-fry and vegetable mixes
Food service

Sample: $4.60/kg (indicative) Quote this type Order sample

Specifications

Type	Pisum sativum var. macrocarpon
Length	6–9 cm, round, plump pods
Colour	bright green
Texture	crisp, juicy, sweet
Packing	2–4 kg cartons or retail packs
Storage	0–1 °C, RH 95%
Shelf life	7–10 days

Type 5 of 10

Garden Peas (shelled / in pod)

Fresh shelled peas for retail and food service.

Fresh garden peas are supplied either in the pod or hand-shelled and chilled. Shelled peas are a premium convenience product for supermarkets and restaurants, prized for sweetness compared with frozen peas.

Typical uses & buyers

Premium retail shelled peas
Restaurants and food service
Fresh salad and meal-kit producers

Sample: $5.00/kg (indicative) Quote this type Order sample

Specifications

Forms	in-pod or shelled
Pea diameter	7–10 mm (shelled)
Colour	bright green, sweet
Packing	retail punnets or bulk cartons
Storage	0–1 °C
Shelf life	5–7 days (shelled)

Type 6 of 10

Asian Vegetables

Okra, bird's eye & cayenne chillies, karela (bitter gourd), dudhi, brinjal, valore, turia, tindora, baby corn.

Kenya grows a wide range of Asian and ethnic vegetables for South Asian, Chinese and Middle Eastern communities in the UK, Europe and the Gulf. Lines include okra (bhindi), bird's eye and cayenne chillies, karela (bitter gourd), dudhi (bottle gourd), brinjal (aubergine), valore and turia (ridge gourd), tindora, curry leaves and baby corn. Mixed consignments are common.

Typical uses & buyers

Ethnic retail and cash-and-carry
Restaurants and takeaways
Wholesale markets
Spice and sauce manufacturers (chillies)

Sample: $3.60/kg (indicative) Quote this type Order sample

Specifications

Okra	7–12 cm, tender, green, no fibrous pods
Bird's eye chillies	2–4 cm, red & green; cayenne 8–15 cm
Karela	12–20 cm, bright green, ridged
Brinjal	round & long, glossy purple
Baby corn	6–10 cm, husked or with husk
Packing	3–5 kg cartons, mixed pallets
Storage	7–10 °C (okra, gourds), 7–10 °C (chillies)
Freight	air

Type 7 of 10

Fresh Herbs

Basil, mint, coriander, rosemary, thyme, chives, tarragon.

Highland greenhouse and open-field farms produce fresh culinary herbs year-round, harvested to order, hydro-cooled and packed for overnight air freight. Kenya is a key winter supplier of herbs to the UK and Netherlands.

Typical uses & buyers

Supermarket cut herbs
Restaurants and food service
Ready-meal and sauce producers

Sample: $6.00/kg (indicative) Quote this type Order sample

Specifications

Range	basil, mint, coriander, rosemary, thyme, chives, tarragon, dill, sage, parsley
Presentation	bunched or loose
Colour	fresh, green, no yellowing
Packing	1–3 kg cartons with liners
Storage	2–4 °C (basil 10–12 °C)
Shelf life	7–14 days depending on herb

Type 8 of 10

Mangoes — Apple, Ngowe, Kent, Tommy Atkins, Van Dyke

Sweet, fibre-free mangoes from Eastern and Coast Kenya.

Kenya grows both local and international mango varieties. Apple mango is a round, fibre-free Kenyan favourite with rich sweetness and a yellow-orange blush; Ngowe is a long, coastal variety with aromatic, juicy flesh. Kent, Tommy Atkins and Van Dyke are export-standard varieties with red blush and good shipping life. Fruit is harvested mature-green and ripens in transit or at destination.

Typical uses & buyers

Retail fresh fruit
Ripening and wholesale markets
Fresh-cut and juice processors
Food service

Sample: $2.70/kg (indicative) Quote this type Order sample

Specifications

Varieties	Apple, Ngowe, Kent, Tommy Atkins, Van Dyke
Fruit weight	250–700 g (variety dependent)
Counts per 4 kg box	6–14
Brix at ripeness	≥ 12–14°
Flesh	fibre-free (Apple, Kent), aromatic (Ngowe)
Treatment	hot-water / fruit-fly protocols as required by destination
Storage	10–13 °C, RH 85–90%
Freight	sea reefer (Middle East, EU) or air
Season	Nov–Mar (main), Jun–Aug (minor)

Type 9 of 10

Pineapples — Smooth Cayenne & MD2

Juicy pineapples from Thika and the coast.

Kenyan pineapples are grown around Thika and on the coast. Smooth Cayenne is a large, juicy, slightly tangy variety widely used for fresh consumption and processing; MD2 ('Golden' or 'Extra Sweet') has golden flesh, higher sweetness and lower acidity, and is preferred by European retailers.

Typical uses & buyers

Retail fresh fruit
Fresh-cut fruit salads
Juicing and processing
Hotels and food service

Sample: $2.00/kg (indicative) Quote this type Order sample

Specifications

Varieties	Smooth Cayenne, MD2 (Golden)
Weight	1.2–2.2 kg
Counts per carton	6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12
Brix	≥ 12° (MD2 ≥ 13°)
Crown	single, upright, fresh
Packing	10–12 kg cartons
Storage	7–10 °C, RH 85–90%
Freight	sea reefer or air

Type 10 of 10

Purple Passion Fruit

Aromatic purple passion fruit for retail and juicing.

Kenya's purple passion fruit grows in the central and western highlands. The wrinkled purple shell holds fragrant, sweet-tart golden pulp and seeds. It is a sought-after exotic in Europe and the Gulf, ripens off the vine, and travels well by air.

Typical uses & buyers

Exotic fruit retail
Desserts, cocktails and patisserie
Juice and pulp production

Sample: $4.80/kg (indicative) Quote this type Order sample

Specifications

Variety	Passiflora edulis (purple)
Fruit weight	35–60 g
Count	30–42 per 2 kg box
Shell	purple, may wrinkle as it ripens
Pulp	golden, aromatic, sweet-tart; juice 30–40%
Storage	7–10 °C, RH 90%
Shelf life	2–3 weeks
Freight	air

Growing & production areas in Kenya

Growing / production area	Altitude	Notes
Kirinyaga (Mwea) & Murang'a	1,150–1,700 m	Irrigated French beans, peas and Asian vegetables.
Meru & Laikipia	1,500–2,200 m	Snow peas, sugar snaps and garden peas in cool highlands.
Machakos, Makueni & Kitui	1,000–1,600 m	Apple, Ngowe and Kent mangoes; Asian vegetables.
Kilifi, Kwale & Lamu (Coast)	0–400 m	Coastal mangoes and pineapples.
Thika & Kiambu	1,500–1,800 m	Pineapples and herbs close to JKIA.
Naivasha & Kajiado	1,700–1,900 m	Greenhouse herbs and vegetables.

Trade information

Season

Vegetables: year-round (irrigated). Mangoes: main season November–March, small season June–August. Pineapples: year-round. Passion fruit: year-round with peaks.

Minimum order

Air: from 500 kg (1 pallet). Sea: 1 × 40ft reefer for mangoes, pineapples and hardy vegetables.

Packaging

Bulk cartons 2–5 kg
Retail-ready punnets, flow-wrap, prepacks with your labels
Mango and pineapple cartons palletised for reefer

Logistics & Incoterms

Air freight daily from JKIA (NBO)
Sea reefer from Mombasa for fruit
Incoterms: FCA Nairobi, CPT/CIP airport, FOB Mombasa, CIF

Certifications

GlobalG.A.P. + GRASP
KS 1758 (Kenya horticulture code)
BRCGS (packhouses)
SMETA / Sedex
Fairtrade (selected outgrowers)

Export documents

Phytosanitary certificate (KEPHIS)
EUR.1 / Certificate of Origin
AFA HCD export licence
MRL residue analysis
Air Waybill / Bill of Lading

HS codes: 0708.20 (beans) · 0708.10 (peas) · 0709.60 (chillies) · 0709.99 (okra & others) · 0804.50 (mangoes) · 0804.30 (pineapples) · 0810.90 (passion fruit)

Export destinations for Kenyan vegetables & fruits

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

🇬🇧Vegetables & Fruits to United KingdomFelixstowe (GBFXT)Sea 24–35 days · Air 1 day 🇳🇱Vegetables & Fruits to NetherlandsRotterdam (NLRTM)Sea 22–32 days · Air 8–9 hours 🇫🇷Vegetables & Fruits to FranceLe Havre (FRLEH)Sea 20–30 days · Air 1 day 🇦🇪Vegetables & Fruits to United Arab EmiratesJebel Ali, Dubai (AEJEA)Sea 8–14 days · Air 5–6 hours

Frequently asked questions

Can you pack retail-ready under my brand?

Yes. Partner packhouses are BRCGS certified and can top-and-tail, flow-wrap and label to supermarket specifications.

Do you ship mixed vegetable consignments?

Yes — mixed air pallets of beans, peas, Asian vegetables and herbs are common for wholesalers.

Buyer guides

Guides for importers

Product Buying Guides

French Beans Supplier in Kenya: Buy Fine Beans, Mangetout & Asian Vegetables by Air

Grades, packs, cold chain and air logistics for fresh-produce importers buying Kenyan beans, peas, Asian vegetables and tropical fruit.

Read guide →

Sourcing Countries

How to Import from Kenya: Best Products, Verified Suppliers & Shipping Guide

A buyer's overview of Kenya's top export products, how sourcing works and how goods get from Kenyan farms and factories to your port.

Read guide →

Import How-To Guides

Shipping from Mombasa & Nairobi JKIA: Logistics Guide for Importing from East Africa

How East African cargo reaches the world — sea, air and regional road corridors.

Read guide →

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