Coffee was the largest Kenyan export to Germany last year The Partnering in Business with Germany Programme, run by GIZ on behalf of the German government, helps export-ready companies build long-term business partnerships with German firms. /HANDOUT Twenty-one Kenyan exporters will travel to Germany next week to seek buyers and business partnerships as the country steps up efforts to expand its exports to Europe’s largest economy.
The exporters, drawn from the tea, coffee, avocado, herbs and spices, horticulture, agro-processing and crafts sectors, will spend three weeks in Mannheim from September 28 to October 16 under a market-linkage programme run by the Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency (KEPROBA) and German development agency GIZ.
The programme will involve business-to-business meetings, sector-based training and negotiations on potential cooperation agreements with German companies. The initiative comes against a widening trade imbalance between Kenya and Germany, with Kenya’s exports to the European country standing at $164.8 million (Sh21.3 billion) in 2025 compared with imports of $405.4 million (Sh52.4 billion).
Kenyan exports to Germany have fluctuated over the past decade, ranging from $110.2 million (Sh14.3 billion) in 2018 to the 2025 high. Coffee was the largest Kenyan export to Germany last year, earning $51.6 million (Sh6.7 billion), or 31.3 per cent of total exports to the market.
The new programme seeks to help Kenyan firms secure direct commercial relationships with German businesses rather than relying mainly on traditional commodity exports. Principal Secretary for Industry Juma Mukhwana said exporters would need to adapt their products and branding to the requirements of foreign consumers.
“You can have a good product, but does the market know its value? You need to take that product to the market,” said Mukhwana. He urged companies to understand the culture and expectations of their target markets, including how products are branded and positioned.