Why I have no regrets about my briquette business, 8 years in

Elijah Kariuki spreads briquettes outside his plant in Majengo within Nanyuki Town. [Jacinta Mutura, Standard]

It’s been eight years since Elijah Kariuki (pictured) got the idea to make briquettes. And in this time, the demand for the charcoal alternatives he produces has seen him increasingly convinced he made the right business decision.

Elijah got into the fast-growing industry back in 2010 as an employee in Nyeri. He then quit his job and moved to Nanyuki to exploit the market there.

He makes his briquettes from charcoal dust mixed with water and soil. The mixture is then compressed using a briquette-making machine.

“When the Government banned tree cutting, it was an eye opener for me. I knew there was still a need for charcoal, but people had been forced to find an alternative. I wanted to provide that alternative,” says Elijah.

He set up his business in Majengo Slums within Nanyuki town, and from some pretty humble beginnings, his firm, Equator Briquette Dealers, now produces at least 10,000 kilogrammes of briquettes a week.

“The actual amount produced day to day depends on the availability of raw materials.”

The process starts with sourcing for raw materials, which include charcoal dust, red soil and water. These are then mixed before being crushed and compressed by an extruder machine that shapes and then churns out compacted briquettes.

“Once the briquettes come out of the machine, I dry them out in the sun for two to three days. Customers flock here and sometimes we run out of stock, especially during market days. I’ve never been able to satisfy market demand in Nanyuki and neighbouring towns like Timau, Karatina, Nyeri and Narumoru.”

A majority of Elijah’s customers are poultry farmers. In good a week, the father of two says he can make up to Sh80,000.

“Some people may look down on me and perceive my work as a ‘dirty’ business, but I’m now in my eighth year, and no matter what others think, I don’t have plans to quit. I wake up every morning looking forward to making more briquettes, and hence more money,” says Elijah.

Briquettes are gaining popularity for being cheaper than charcoal and kinder to the environment as they emit less carbon.

“A person using a 90-kilo bag of charcoal is more or less equal to someone using a 50-kilo bag of briquettes. And while charcoal users have to part with Sh2,500 for this 90-kilo bag, my customers pay just Sh800 for 50 kilos of briquettes.”

Elijah’s production costs per sack are Sh350.

“The main challenge is a scarcity of raw materials, especially charcoal dust.”

Anthony Mwangi, one of Elijah’s four employees, says: “Since I was employed here, I never go begging for food. I’m able to pay my bills and do other things. Unemployed youth shouldn’t be choosy about jobs, as long as they can get money.”