Planet Plus Kenya exhibited its pioneer honey product at the just-concluded 9th edition of the Flagship Annual Circular Economy Conference and Awards, which took place on November 14th, 2024, at the Catholic University of East Africa.
The team from Planet Plus Kenya led by Diana Musa the Product Manager, showcased the honey product procured from the Ogiek Self Help Group of Beekeepers living adjacent to Mau Forest. The product which is packaged in glass jars of 1.5 Kg, one kilogram, and half a kilogram was displayed in an open-air setup that was extended for our use to enhance access and interaction with potential clients.
Consequently, the clients were informed about the different ways they were promoting circularity and sustainability by buying the product. Clients were also enlightened on how to handle the honey to prevent contamination or chances of it going stale.
During these engagements Diana who has been with the organization since its inception in 2023, diligently shared the story of how the product was created and the impact it is having on the lives of the Ogiek.
“Since inception, we have endeavoured to share the story of the community that we have collaborated with to come up with this product. Even though they are known globally to have coexisted harmoniously in the Mau Forest, it is quite unfortunate that this community is currently considered a threat to the forest. This is why this business is important to us as an organisation,” said Diana
Therefore, as Planet Plus Kenya engaged with different clients during the Circular Economy Conference and Awards, they also looked to achieve much more than making sales by helping the clients learn of a different side of the story.
Furthermore, the event presented Planet Plus Kenya with an opportunity to be considered a business embracing sustainability, especially since the country is adopting a different strategy to tackle poverty, unemployment, challenges associated with climate change, and environmental degradation.
Diana reiterated the organisation’s efforts to mitigate or rather prevent any further plastic pollution by intently using glass in its packaging because of its reusability. Planet Plus Kenya leverages its access to a bigger market to sell the product in order to deliver its obligation to the community in Mau Forest.
The event, organized by Sustainable Inclusive Business Kenya (SIB-K), maybe add “and”? the Knowledge Centre under the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) attracted notable exhibitors included: Pure Plant Organics LTD, an organisation enhancing the functionality of carbon sinks using its biochar product; Green Thing, an entity that produces artefacts entirely from bamboo; Hewa safi, who are collaborating with the Kenya Plastics Pact to install a digital billboard that absorbs pollutants from the environment to create awareness among consumers on the “Let’s be clear challenge”; Rhea healthy soil represented by Ruth Jumba showcased maybe ‘showcasing’ the cutting-edge digital innovation that tests soils in order to inform farmers of the measures to take; PhilmaFaith General with their clean energy innovations ranging from briquettes to solar panels and cook stoves and finally, Insectipro food, who were also creating awareness among consumers on an alternative source of protein obtained from a cricket diet.