We did our monthly shopping last weekend.

When we reached the sugar section, I noticed this new brand with crisp, brilliant white crystals next to Mumias.

I thought it was one of those imported varieties, but no: it was labeled "KABRAS" from West Kenya Sugar.

This one is going to give Mumias a run for their money.

..... and yes, we bought it instead of our usual Mumias...

Mumias is a household name in kenya.they say they want to buy Mumias instead of Sugar. Kenyan market for consumer item is Brand base market. Not a pricebase market. Even other brand are cheper by 2-3 bob, consumer will prefer Mumias. They says Mumias is sweater then other sugar.

@VVS do you honestly think anyone will outbid Mumias for government assets...

I mean this west sugar your saying probably doesn't even make 200million in profit... So no matter How good their margins are the bigger i don't see them touching anything Mumias sets its eyes on

@VVs,
You could be right on the margins.WK has no cane fields and encourage farmers to do their thing and only buy cane at their gates.They are saved a lot of logistics and expenses.....That's why i warned Mukiha that he might be buying sugar from poached cane.......The biggest threat to the survival of WK though is the upcoming Butali Sugar just a couple of miles down the road.

@GG,
Spot on.Chrystal clear sugar has very low nutrients.You can't sell that stuff to any European country....and hey,most sugar companies are moving ahead with sugar fortification which i am made to understand might be made mandatory by the government in the near future.To this end,Sony Sugar and Mumias are ahead of the pack.

@Guru,
MSC may have the money to buy any plant in Kenya.The process of privatization though,is by competitive bidding.I think the biggest threat comes not from within but from multinationals such as Illovo SA and ISGEC India....ISGEC is another Bharti and yes,they are already in the country in the form of Kibos Sugar.

Something about Butali and West Kenya www.standardmedia.co.ke/...0021035&cid=457&

@Mukiha,
May be the sugar was bleached?

Can someone tell me why MSC does not produce industrial sugar such as the one used to sweeten coke?Coca-cola would be a ready market..?

how big is kabras as compared to MUMIAS. the figures speak for themselves. even the other sugar miller that are not 'peforming (nzoia, chemilil, miwani etc) are far much more than it

As we come up to the 5-year anniversary of this post.
Yes, @guru267, I honestly thought West Kenya can outbid Mumias for GoK assets.
Yes, @guru267, West Kenya can touch anything Mumias has set its eyes on.
Yes, @guru267, a profit of 200mn is better than a loss of 3bn.

Small and they have no cane of their own .Most of their sugar is imported and re-packaged within their premises.Makora business if you know those Karasingas.They joined the race with criminal minds but i can tell their time is up. MSC may not be doing well,but trust me,they are at the beginning of a fine nice run going into the next two years. What did i just say?