Tei Mukunya: Crafting Ready-Made Nutritious Options for Urban Residents 

: Tei’s Inspirational Journey from BAT Kenya to Empowering Rural Women: A Story of Economic Vision and Social Impact

By Charles Wachira

The towering structure of Africa’s premier cargo-handling airport stands in striking proximity to the modest one-storey building housing the Nature Lock Foods factory. And the perpetual traffic congestion to and from Kenya’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) appears insurmountable

 But what is more sensually enthralling, viewed from the office of  Anne Tei Mukunya, the 47-year Co-founder and Executive Director of this Nairobi-based ready-to-eat -food-processing company is sections of the impressionable Nairobi Expressway.

This is one of the most remarkable infrastructural achievements in Africa. 

Spanning 27 kilometres, this dual carriageway boasts four lanes and toll collection stations. Without any interruption, it seamlessly connects JKIA to various parts of Nairobi.

To reach Tei’s factory, a modern structure made of brick and mortar, located within a gated half-acre land estate, one must take the Old Mombasa Road. This road is situated beneath the Expressway and is roughly three kilometres away from the airport

In Tei’s telling, Nature Locks Food factory was founded during the COVID-19 global crisis. 

Together with Dutch entrepreneur Wilco Vermeer, this food processing company tackles the challenges of pre-consumer food loss and strives to transform overlooked resources into accessible, nutritious solutions for hurried urban dwellers.

It could be argued that the entrepreneurial duo observed a gap in the local market, created by a bustling population of busy commuters living in the fourth wealthiest city in Africa. These commuters needed convenient yet nutritious food options. However, despite their desire for healthy meals, Nairobi’s urban dwellers often find it difficult to obtain or afford nutritious food. Preparing nutritious food can also be time-consuming and require a lot of effort, which are both precious resources for them.

“In entrepreneurship, there are no shortcuts. You must actively seek out lessons, put in the hard work, and pave your own path to success. It’s not handed to you on a silver platter, despite what some may believe,” says Tei.

 Enter Naturelock

In May 2021, the now three-year-old company launched an innovation: an instant version of mung bean stew, also known as ‘Ndengu’, in Kenya’s national language, Kiswahili, that uses a revolutionary drying technique from the Netherlands.

 This method of preserving fruits, vegetables, and fish prevents spoilage while retaining their taste, aroma, colour, and micronutrients. It has received an endorsement from researchers at Wageningen UR- a university   based in the Netherlands –  and opens up new possibilities in the culinary world. Their gastronomy provides the convenience and affordability of IndoMie noodles, which are available in supermarkets across Africa. NatureLock’s drying technology addresses the limitations of current cold chains in sub-Saharan countries and is revolutionizing logistics.

Unlike conventional drying methods that strip flavour and nutrients, NatureLock’s process preserves the nutritional goodness of fruits and vegetables for two whole years. The magic of dehydration slashes the weight of the products by a whopping 70 per cent.

This innovation not only reduces transportation and storage costs but also significantly decreases the climate footprint. While the demand for fresh products remains undeniable, replicating Europe’s advanced cold chain infrastructure in Kenya proves challenging.

Also, NatureLock’s innovation serves as a beacon of hope, breaking the chains of long distribution routes and curbing food losses from the outset.

 The Naturelock product sold under the brand name StewsDay is a dish made from 100% field-fresh vegetables, delicately dried to preserve the freshness and micronutrients that define its unique taste. It’s  designed to be affordable and convenient for students, young professionals, working-class individuals, and families who are seeking quick meal solutions

But what sets it apart is its unique twist – it contains fresh vegetables that are sourced from crops that would otherwise go to waste.

This food manufacturing startup has won the highly coveted African Food Industry Excellence Award for Best New Product in Africa in 2021, marking a significant milestone for the culinary world. This incredible achievement is a testament to Tei’s commitment to revolutionising the food industry in various areas, including manufacturing, retail, academia, and food service sectors.

“At NatureLock, our mission is to combat food waste across Africa by naturally preserving fresh produce into delicious, nutritious, and accessible foods for everyone, right where it originates. Through our innovative drying process, we transform 100% field-fresh produce into wholesome, budget-friendly ready-to-eat options that seamlessly integrate into people’s daily routines. With an ambient shelf life of up to two years, our products boast a wealth of essential nutrients and retain their natural flavours,” says Tei.

Dr. David Karanja, the national coordinator of Grain Legumes at the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), highlights the unique nature of these food products.  

” They are pre-cooked, catering to a youthful demographic that prefers convenience over traditional methods like charcoal or firewood cooking, which can be time-consuming. Moreover, they reduce labour costs as they simply require boiling. Additionally, these products offer nutritional benefits to consumers and contribute to employment opportunities, as the company behind them employs workers”, says Dr Karanja. 

KALRO stands as Kenya’s premier institution, integrating research programs spanning food crops, horticulture, industrial crops, livestock, range management, and land and water management.

Celestine Atieno Sadaka, the owner of Faces Integrated Group, the Kenyan retail company that markets products made by Naturelock, attests to the uniqueness of the product.

“It’s a unique product for there is no other precooked product in the Kenyan market for now. It has no competitor.”

Tei’s journey embodies the transformative power of innovation in directly confronting pressing societal challenges. In a remarkable collaboration, NatureLock has teamed up with Farm to Feed, a four-year-old tech-enabled solution that establishes a market for surplus and imperfect goods. This initiative aims to enhance farmers’ income, decrease greenhouse gas emissions, and enhance food security. Farm to Feed was born amidst the upheaval of the initial Corona lockdown.

 “We actively source overlooked and unconventional fruits and vegetables from local farmers, and then they adeptly repurpose these culinary misfits into affordable and nutritious delights. This ingenious approach not only democratises healthy eating but also assigns a fair value to products that would otherwise languish in neglect, ” says Claire van Enk, the Dutch innovator of Farm to Feed.

Throughout the past year, Farm to Feed has meticulously been establishing a network of supply hubs for surplus vegetables, serving as a lifeline for those sidelined by conventional markets. With a keen focus on low-income consumers, this dynamic duo—Tei and Claire—is transforming food waste into a culinary feast for the budget-conscious.

NatureLock plans to increase the visibility of its products by setting up processing hubs near small farming communities in rural Kenya.

 This will help to address post-harvest food loss, which is a significant problem in Kenya, with 40% of food lost annually. This amounts to a colossal Ksh 72 billion (US$535,315,982.40), more than twice the cost of building Kenya’s first major infrastructure project, the Thika superhighway.

Tei began her journey in 2010 at BAT’s Kenyan franchise. Her father’s work with rural women in Muranga then, funded by USAID, inspired her to empower others. With a background in economics and involvement in AIESEC, Tei strived to make a positive impact.

“My father played a pivotal role in shaping my business aspirations. He encouraged me to create something of real value to society, questioning my long tenure in cigarette sales. ‘Isn’t it time you offered something beneficial?’ he challenged. Since then, I’ve embraced his wisdom and never looked back,” says Tei.