Quick Info

 Business Description

George is the owner and Founder of Maa Briquettes (sole proprietor), a local enterprise located in Narok County. The enterprise uses biomass to produce smokeless briquettes appropriate for household and cottage industry use.

Problem/Solution

More than 80% of Kenyan urban population use charcoal as their primary source of domestic energy, and other 30% of the rural population also use it to meet their cooking needs. Those who do not afford charcoal resort to firewood. There is therefore a need for affordable, easily accessible fuel that is eco-friendly and user- friendly. Maa Briquettes uses biomass collected from Narok market to make smokeless briquettes which are then sold at a cheaper price than charcoal.

Products/Service

The Maa Briquette innovation is a simple idea that uses charcoal dust, maize cobs and maize stalk and waste vegetable matter to make smokeless briquettes which are dried and then sold as fuel. The briquettes burn three times longer than charcoal, and are smokeless hence pose minimal risk to the respiratory health of the user.

Traction to Date

The enterprise has acquired the premises where it set up its locally fabricated briquette making machine for production. It received its first capital through a local bank loan which it repaid in the first six months of operation. It also conducted a market research and has an established market base.