Nairobi — Agribusiness firm Kakuzi plans to spend over Sh1.2 billion for commercial and social impact projects.

The funds will be used to expand agricultural production and value-added ventures for macadamia, avocado, livestock, and commercial forestry revenue streams.

Under the plan, Kakuzi will double avocado production and export from 3 million to 5 million four-kilo equivalent cartons. It also seeks to increase macadamia production from 900 tons of kernel to 1,500 tons.

"We currently have three commercially produced crops, and we intend to add a fourth crop in our expanded investments journey even as we expand the integration and active use of agricultural technology (AgTech) solutions and diversify our domestic and export markets to enhance shareholder returns," Kakuzi Plc Managing Director Mr. Chris Flowers said at the 1st Murang'a County Investment Conference.

Only last year did the company unveil a new macadamia oil processing plant with a daily extraction capacity of 1,000 liters of cold-pressed cooking oil. Similarly, the company set up a macadamia processing plant with an installed capacity of 2,000 tons of saleable kernel (SK).

Later, it also introduced a range of consumer products, including ready-to-eat macadamia nuts, gluten-free macadamia flour, macadamia cereal mix, and blueberry packs.

This comes after the firm posted a net loss of Sh131.7 million in 2024 compared to a profit after tax of Sh453.5 million in 2023.