The Top Italian Wines Roadshow returns to Kenya

Shamba, the picturesque colonial farm in the Loresho area, surrounded by greenery, is now synonymous with great Italian wines for Kenyan wine lovers. But that's not all.

On January 30, for the third year in a row, the roadshow landed in Kenya. And the results of the work done in previous editions were immediately palpable. From noon to 7 p.m., there was an uninterrupted flow of visitors, which we estimated to be 30% higher than last year. Enthusiasts, but above all operators, restaurateurs, and wine distributors came for the occasion not only from tourist resorts on the coast but also from Uganda and Tanzania.

Giuseppe Manenti, director of the ITA office in Nairobi, has no doubts: “Italian wine is now the third largest force here in Kenya, a market that is still small but growing rapidly. The scene is dominated by South African wines, with 45%, with France in second place. But in recent years - in a scenario of constant growth - while South African wines are losing appeal, Italian wine is gaining ground, with double-digit average annual growth.”

Thomas Rajoola is a journalist for the Daily Nation, Sunday Nation, and Business Daily, and writes for weekly and daily newspapers. We asked him to describe the Italian wine market. "We import a lot from South Africa, France, and Spain, but Italian wine has a brilliant image. It is different from the usual varietal wines, and I would say that it exerts a sophisticated charm on consumers. And this is not only true of the big names. There is always something new to discover with you (laughs). Much of this success is due to the restaurant industry. Italian cuisine is obviously at the forefront, but now you can find high-quality Italian wines on all wine lists and in wine shops and wine bars."

Generational growth

"We are discovering wine, starting with young people, and there are constantly new openings, new places where wine is the star," Rajoola continues. "Wine drinkers project a sophisticated, cultured, health-conscious image. Most of the consumption takes place within the family, and ultimately wine is a drink that satisfies everyone, has the right alcohol content, and goes well with food. In short, drinking wine is chic even among young people. And we at Nation Media see this: for example, the food and wine pairing columns that appear in our media on Fridays are very popular. Wine in Kenya is taking off, and Italian wine is doing very well. In short, there is a climate of great enthusiasm."

“The trade agreement between the EU and Kenya is bearing fruit,” adds Manenti of ITA. "There is still work to be done on excise duties, but Italian wine has grown by 200% in 10 years, with an increase of 5 to over 10% per year. This is the result of teamwork. Whereas before there were only a few Italians importing, now many operators are Kenyan, and there is room for growth. The important thing is to create initiatives and be present on the market. The Gambero Rosso event has become a key happening for this part of Africa."

Top Italian Restaurants

At the award ceremony, 26 certificates were bestowed by the Top Italian Restaurants in the World Guide, ranging from pizzerias to ice cream parlours, wine bars to Italian specialty food shops—a new category in the Guide, awarded with “bags” (or shoppers)—ending with the classic Forks for restaurants and a selection of establishments still “under investigation” by our team. This is a very important result in a country which, as Italian Ambassador Vincenzo Del Monaco pointed out, has the strongest economy in East Africa and enjoys consolidated and growing relations with Italy.

There is continuous exchange between our countries, and more and more Italian entrepreneurs are present and investing in the country, beyond the tourism sector, where we have always been at the forefront.

We also realised this ourselves on the evening that the Ambassador dedicated to the Roadshow wine producers and Gambero Rosso in his splendid residence, a beautiful 1920s villa surrounded by greenery in the Mutahiga district, where numerous entrepreneurs and representatives of the most important Italian companies operating in Kenya were invited, from energy to electronics to agricultural machinery to healthcare.

All in all, it was an extraordinarily positive day, judging by the enthusiastic comments from producers and participants, with two masterclasses held by Marco Sabellico and Victoria Mulu-Muniwoki, a well-known Kenyan wine expert, which were, as usual, sold out. “Italy is very popular in Kenya,” concludes Rohan Malde, Food and Beverage Manager at the Sankara Hotel, “and we too will soon be opening a new Italian restaurant, or rather... Roman restaurant, in the hotel. The chef is currently in Rome to learn more about your extraordinary cuisine...” It really is a case of saying “Go Kenya, go!”