Moses Guthegi, a sales representative at WellCreek, said they produce beers, cocktails and mocktails, with some of the products drawing inspiration from traditional Kenyan drinks.When jobs proved hard to find after college, a group of young hospitality graduates decided not to wait for employment.
Instead, they pooled their skills in bartending, mixology and product development to create their own range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks using locally sourced ingredients.
What started as an idea to create employment for themselves has grown into a cottage industry in Kenol, Murang’a county, creating opportunities for other young people.
The youth, operating under WellCreek, are showcasing their products at the ongoing Nairobi International Trade Fair at the Jamhuri grounds, where their colourful cans and locally inspired drinks have attracted the attention of visitors.
Moses Guthegi, a sales representative at WellCreek, said they produce beers, cocktails and mocktails, with some of the products drawing inspiration from traditional Kenyan drinks.
“Our idea was to create our own jobs because employment is not available for all of us. We decided to use our skills to develop our own products,” he said.
Among their products is Uko beer, a modern take on the traditional Kikuyu brew Muratina, as well as Wicked Tea, a Muratina-based drink infused with hibiscus.
The company also produces a botanical mocktail known as Whale Creek, made from coffee, sugar cane and hibiscus.
For cocktail lovers, the range includes Long Island, Pina Colada, Mojito and Pasha Martini.
Guthegi said the company sources most of its raw materials locally from farmers, with some ingredients coming directly from its farm.
“We have our own farm where we grow sugar cane and hibiscus. We also have beehives for honey. For the mocktails, we use ingredients that we buy from farmers and also produce ourselves,” he said.
The use of local ingredients, he said, is part of the group’s effort to create products that reflect Kenyan tastes while supporting local production.
The drinks are packaged in cans, which Guthegi said also helps the company protect its products against counterfeiting and safeguard its brand.
He said the company has received approval from the Kenya Bureau of Standards and is working to expand its market beyond Murang’a and Nairobi.
“The market is accepting our products well. We are giving it time so we can reach more stores in Nairobi and, eventually, the entire country,” Guthegi said.
The products are particularly popular with young consumers, although Guthegi said older customers are also embracing them because of their use of natural ingredients.
The alcoholic products have an alcohol content of about 7.5 per cent, while prices range from Sh200 for Uko beer to Sh250 for the Muratina and mocktail products. The cocktails retail at Sh300 per can.
Guthegi said the founders met through their shared background in the hospitality industry and began discussing ways of turning their skills into a business.
“One of us got an opportunity to develop the drinks, and through that opportunity we were able to bring in other young people,” he said.
The group says their biggest challenge is the high cost of production. Guthegi called for policies that would make it easier for small and emerging businesses to grow.
“The cost of production is a little high because of government policies. We are still trying to establish ourselves and get onto the map of the country,” he said.
The group is now looking for investors and a wider market as it seeks to scale up production.
For the graduates who once struggled to find jobs, the growing business has offered a different lesson: sometimes employment can begin with creating an opportunity rather than waiting for one.
Instant analysis
WellCreek’s experience shows how entrepreneurship can generate jobs beyond the founders, while linking small enterprises to farmers and local supply chains. But high production costs and policy pressures remain barriers to scaling. The group’s expansion will depend on access to investment, markets and an environment that supports emerging enterprises.
