Key points
- Verify registration, KEPHIS exporter status and grower base before asking for prices.
- Judge reliability by how a company answers detailed questions — not by its brochure.
- Always run a small trial shipment before committing to a programme.
Start with verification, not prices
Ask for the company's registration documents, its KEPHIS (Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service) exporter licence, and the certifications of its grower base. A genuine exporter sends these without hesitation. If a contact resists basic verification, walk away — no matter how attractive the quote looks.
Cross-check the company on the Horticultural Crops Directorate (HCD) and KEPHIS registers, and confirm the bank account name matches the registered company name exactly.
- Certificate of incorporation and KRA tax PIN
- KEPHIS exporter registration and HCD licence
- GlobalG.A.P. or equivalent certification of supplying farms
- Physical packhouse or clear access to a certified one
Ask questions only a real operator can answer
Reliability shows in the details. Ask about varieties and grades available this month, pack sizes, carton dimensions, cooling times, airline routings out of JKIA and typical transit times to your airport. A genuine operator answers in specifics. A middleman improvises.
Have a question while you read?
Send us your produce, volume and destination airport and we will reply with availability and pricing.
Check references and history
Ask for two or three buyer references in markets similar to yours, and actually contact them. Ask how the exporter handled a claim, not just whether produce arrived — every exporter has a bad shipment eventually; reliable ones own it and compensate.
Run a trial shipment
Before signing any programme, place a small paid trial order — one or two pallets. Judge arrival quality, packaging, documentation accuracy and how fast the exporter communicates when the flight is delayed. That single shipment tells you more than months of emails.
Where a sourcing agent fits in
A sourcing agent like Zavora Fresh Exports does this vetting continuously on the ground: auditing farms, consolidating produce from vetted growers, managing the packhouse, paperwork and freight. For buyers without a Kenya office, it is the fastest route to a verified, accountable supply chain.
Start your first shipment
Message us on WhatsApp or email our sourcing team. We will confirm availability, packing options and pricing for your market.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I know a Kenyan exporter is genuine?
- Verify company registration, KEPHIS exporter status and grower certifications, then place a small trial order. Genuine exporters welcome verification and trials; unreliable ones push for large upfront commitments.
- Should I pay an exporter in advance?
- For first orders, partial advance with balance on documents is common. Avoid 100% prepayment with any new supplier, whatever the discount offered.
- What is the advantage of using a sourcing agent in Kenya?
- You get one accountable partner who vets farms, consolidates several product lines, manages quality at the packhouse and handles export paperwork — instead of managing multiple unknown suppliers yourself.