THE AFRICAN BUSINESS FORTUNE MAGAZINE ISSUE #006 The African Business Fortune Magazine | Page 28

THE AFRICAN BUSINESS FORTUNE - COVER STORY

From a
janitor to a
serial
business
magnate
By Steve Umidha

I

t’s hard to believe that the founder
and the chief executive officer of one
of the most noticeable names in the
manufacturing business was once a janitor – a tag Mayur Shah is not ashamed to
behold.
“I have previously worked as a janitor
in a foreign country, I take pride, and I’m
glad I did that – the experiences of undertaking odd jobs opened my eyes and
pressed me to begin appreciating everyone,” he opens up during an interview in
his office.
KENAFRIC’s success started out as a
small outfit and is now universally recognizable brand.
The company wasn’t a success right
away. In fact, when it launched, there
were dozens of highly negative evaluations about its quality and its potential to
compete with conventional brands.
“Normally when you start out in the
fashion we did, a lot of critics are thrown
your direction but you learn to get over
them,” says the serial industrialist and a
father of two.
Obviously, the Nairobi-based firm overcame those initial bouts of failure and has
cemented its name as the most successful
trademark in the region.
It is a very different ensemble from the
one Mr. Mayur inherited from his father in
the eighties. Kenafric is now built around
four distinct portfolios — including footwear, confectionery, food and stationery
products.
The diversification model reflects the
aggressive strategic direction the unas-

28 THE AFRICAN BUSINESS FORTUNE MAY - JUNE 2016

Mr. Mayur Shah - Founder of Kenafric Industries Ltd