“Along the aisles of the supermarket, I see people undecided and confused on which honey to put in the shopping basket. Once in a while I overhear a conversation and I quickly point out one brand that I deem to be of quality,” Irene quips. “Kenyans are yet to understand honey flavours. Take for instance creamy honey, it’s a healthy option for bread spread applied like butter, yet you will not find it in our local shelves”.
“I am allergic to sugar and that is the reason I use honey all this time,” she adds. It’s this reality that made Irene start Trueways Enterprises in 2011 as a flagship honey business. Like most women entrepreneurs she has done the complete 360. She has been employed fulltime, become a consultant, eventually taken the reins of entrepreneurship and at some point contemplated going back to employment. Irene has however stuck to her guns and remained on the path of entrepreneurship. Passion, diversity, integrity and market research have been the building blocks of Trueways Honey, Peridot Beeswax moisturising cream and Beeswax Mosquito repellent candles.
The Passion, the Book, the Honey
“I watched this film about bees with my son a few years ago where humans were stealing honey from the bee kingdom. One ‘young bee’ wanted to help the bees fight the injustice and got the bees a lawyer…” The story inspired Irene to start writing a children manuscript in 2014 about ‘Queen True Ruler of the Kingdom of Trueways’ and she enjoyed the rollercoaster ride into the world of writing.
“I wrote the book mostly because I felt people and especially children don’t appreciate the bee… When a bee buzzes around your head don’t throw your hands about as if to push it away. It will come back in anger and sting. Bees smell human’s adrenaline a mile away,” Irene warns. Her fascination for the bee kingdom is evident when she narrates of the bees’ intelligence in following the direction of the sun when looking for food as they dance to attract each other towards the nectar…
Trueways Enterprises as the mother company solely produces honey. The first consignment of honey ever was worth Kshs.10,000 and was delivered by Irene’s uncle who had been harvesting honey for family consumption for a long time. Beyond the honey, Irene uses all the byproducts of the hive. The bee hive she explains provides honey as a primary product and a myriad of other y byproducts such as the beeswax, royal jelly and propolis – a herbal product that is highly medicinal. Irene only works with farmers and collection centres in Kibwezi and Mutomo in rural Kenya, from where she sources honey and the value added products. Irene’s team then handles the honey processing marketing and distribution. Irene is constantly looking for ways to re-invent her business. She stands on excellence and has made Google her friend. Recently she discovered a cool jar for her honey online; she hopes to rebrand and re-package using these in the near future.
Beeswax Deals and Body Cream Research and Development
Irene also has a knack for creating handicraft. One afternoon she was out looking for something creative to be used as gift hampers around biodegradable products such as gourds and banana leaf handicrafts. She walked into a shop at Sarit Centre and after explaining what she was doing and wanted she left her contact. After that initial interaction, the shop called her months later. A walk-in customer wanted gourds with beeswax in them, and bam! she got her first order for beeswax candles. These were gourds decorated in African themes and wildlife designs. They were for a major event which she later got to understand was a farewell dinner for Michael Joseph, the former Safaricom CEO. A bigger deal was in the offing in 2011 when Trueways Enterprises was pre-qualified by Kenya Tourist Board (KTB) and got a tender to make Africa themed artifacts. The order was capital intensive and her bank financed her Local Purchase Order (LPO).
Peridot cream is currently Irene’s ‘baby’. She vividly explains how she made the first cream prototype in 2013. Just like any other business she faced a whole set of challenges in the development of new products especially around organic skin care. Her resilience enabled her develop, use the products on herself and family, start the process of patenting the formulation and sold to many people who use it as a moisturiser, diaper rash balm and after shave cream.
How does one make a cream? Peridot’s inception was preceded by intensive research followed by tests to understand the world of skin care products, essential oils and aromatherapy. Irene had to outsource distillation services for the essential oils to aid in the process of formulating the perfect combinations for the cream’s formula. Other than beeswax, the other ingredients for the cream include Vitamin E, tee tree, neem, lemon grass, rosemary, frankincense, myrrh, olive oil and lavender.
Market Research vs. Quality Control
Market research is the preamble that keeps Irene’s vision intact. It has been her lifeline in the five years she’s been in business. She understands the value chain and constantly tweaks various aspects to ensure that her customers get maximum satisfaction. “On one hand customers will ask tough questions when they don’t fully understand the product,” Irene points out. Being an authority and having all information about her venture is what Irene uses to counter this by educating her clients about the products. Irene knows for a fact that customers always know when a product is compromised. She is therefore always on high alert to verify if the honey she receives is in its purest form. The maxim ‘the customer is always right’ is true.
Trueways is certified by KEBS Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS). Additionally, she is on a quest to get ISO 9001-2008 and Organic and Fair Trade certifications. Trueways is trademarked while Peridot (the name) has been reserved. ISO 9001-2008 certification for Trueways Honey is already underway, a process started in 2013 until the business lost two employees due to mediocrity. Missing a food technologist and someone in processing meant that the certification process couldn’t continue. Looking on the brighter side Irene has been working towards getting all the three products to be ISO certified.
Marketing with Integrity
Irene has taken countless samples to chain stores, supermarkets and hotels with no luck. Bribing for shelf space is not her style. “To tell you the truth I’m not sure I want to go on that journey. There is a year I paid over Kshs.20,000 in samples.” Irene has creatively worked round the supermarket cartwheels by setting up her own market distribution channels through motorcycle delivery from Trueways customers, referrals, contacts and networks. She also does promotional campaigns for Trueways products through the media and frequent exhibitions.
“My social media marketing end is chaotic,” Irene confesses. She is not prompt in updating and keeping the Trueways Honey Facebook page active by posting comments, fresh photos, customer testimonials and product profiles. To make up for her slow speed with social networking Irene is big on using word of mouth and the six degrees of separation rule to moving sales. This she does locally and internationally during her travels abroad where she has learnt how other countries do business. “Personal development is a big thing for me,” Irene says. At a forum in India she learnt how elaborately the India Chamber of Commerce does business. The Indian government consolidates entrepreneurs and gives them government financing, helps them get international ISO certification and further assists in marketing the products.
While away she has also built networks in West Africa and has a few people interested as investors. This calls for an expansion plan which needs to be well thought out, calling for due diligence on Irene’s end. She needs a game plan that justifies her entry into a market like Nigeria, DRC and Burundi. Her laid out strategic plan for 2016/17 is to get international certification vis-à-vis a proper distribution channel.
“Institutions such as the EAC and COMESA ease the process of doing business in Africa; this is a big plus for entrepreneurs. Now countries such as Egypt and Morocco are more accessible;” Irene points out. Her passion for the bee business is what makes her go the extra mile: “It’s a long journey; it’s not pesa – pap!”
