Great furniture in a space speaks so much about the space. The kind of furniture in a home, office, restaurant or wherever gives off an impression.
The furniture business in Kenya is a profitable one that requires, simply, skill and passion.
The quality of furniture is one great determining factor for the number and caliber of customers one would get. Great quality attracts lots of customers.
To begin a furniture business in Kenya, there are a few steps to follow. These steps include:
- Carpentry Training – you need to gain all the knowledge and training required to make quality furniture pieces. This training would also give knowledge on how to determine the best wood for furniture, how to price and market your furniture business as well as the current furniture trends to follow. There are multiple vocational institutions in Kenya where you can get training on carpentry.
- Get a Timber Supplier – a reliable wood timber supplier, that supplies quality wood, is very essential for a furniture business. You would require strong hardwood timber that is resistant to damage agents like termites.
- Business Location – a furniture business needs to be sited in a good location that would be suitable for the manufacturing of furniture without causing harm to the environment. Your furniture business should also be located in such a strategic environment where marketing and advertising would be made easy. It is advised to situate your furniture business in urban areas.
- Business Permits – Your furniture business should be registered and should have all the permits required to have a legal business in Kenya. This step ensures customers of the legitimacy of the business.
- Launch your business – With all the previous steps in check, you are good to go to launch your furniture business in Kenya.
- Market your business – To market your furniture business, you can make use of social media platforms, flyers, billboards and so on. This step would further create awareness of your business as well as increase the number of customers you will get.
The total cost of starting a furniture business in Kenya could be up to 100,000 KES.
It should cost about 10,000 KES to rent a space, 20,000 KES to get timber supplies, 8,000 KES to acquire permits, 50,000 KES on carpentry tools and about 10,000 KES on other extra things for the business.
How Profitable is the Furniture Business in Kenya?
Although you may spend 100,000 KES to begin your furniture company in Kenya, the business can grow to be very profitable for you.
With adequate training, skills, knowledge and creativity, you can deliver to the needs of customers that demand for high quality furniture pieces. Meeting the needs of these customers would get you an increase in the number of orders.
A great location for your furniture business can also increase the profitability of the business. For instance, siting your furniture company in Nairobi, an urban area, would yield more profit than in rural areas as there are more people you need your services in urban areas.
Also, setting a good percentage of profit margin above the production cost of the furniture you make would get you on track to a very profitable business in Kenya.
The Best Wood for Furniture in Kenya
Of the indigenous trees such as Rosewood, Olivewood, Mvuli and Muhugu, used for furniture in Kenya, the best wood for furniture making in Kenya is from the Mvuli tree.
Although the quality of timber for furniture is the best from the Mvuli tree, it has been extremely exploited in Kenya and is surviving by just a few of its kind in the forests of Kakamega and Shimba Hills.
The Mvuli or Mvule tree produces strong and long lasting hardwood timber for furniture as well as construction, boats, floors and so on.
The wood from the Mvuli tree is resistant to termites thereby making it durable.
As a result of the shortage of the Mvuli tree, furniture companies have started using timber from all the other indigenous trees that have similar properties to that of the Mvuli.
Furniture Companies in Kenya
If you are considering starting your furniture business in Kenya, here are a few furniture companies that produce the best furniture in Kenya that could serve as inspiration to you.
- Odds & Ends: This furniture company has been in business for over 35 years producing furniture locally with eco friendly processes at low cost but maintaining great quality. They have a colonial and rustic furniture style that has become their unique trademark. As well as making their own furniture, the company imports furniture pieces and decor items. They provide furniture for bedrooms, to offices and even to outdoor spaces. They have locations in Nairobi and Kisumu.
- Victoria Courts: There is a large variety of furniture to choose from at this furniture company. With great customer service and deals running throughout the year, they have become one of the bests in the business. The company has a number of branches in Nairobi, Kenya.
- Furniture Elegance: This fully Kenyan owned furniture company produces a wide range of furniture for almost any space in the home, office and outdoor. Their furniture pieces are locally manufactured. This furniture company is located in Nairobi.
- Safvic Furniture: Being in the furniture business for over 10 years has given this company pride in delivering durable furniture products. They mostly specialise in home furniture. They are also located in Nairobi.
- Furniture Palace: This furniture company founded in 2002 sells contemporary styled furniture for any space in the home, outdoors and office. They have multiple locations in Nairobi and one in Mombasa.
- Ayanah Furniture: Specialised in creating bespoke furniture, this furniture company provides you pieces that suit you and your style. You can choose how you want your furniture to look from the colour to the style, size, shape and other materials used. They sell furniture for the home, restaurants, bars and outdoor spaces. They have stores located in Nairobi.
- Tangerine Furniture: Located in Nairobi, this furniture company creates timeless style furniture for the home and office spaces. They create pieces that depict the character of their client making use of mid century, modern and contemporary styles.
These are just a few to mention of the multiple furniture companies in Kenya that deliver the best furniture.
Starting a furniture business in Kenya may take some time and require much capital but the business, if carried out well with the right skills and creativity, can turn out to be very rewarding and profitable.
