With a never say die mindset, young entrepreneur has a story to tell and a business to be proud of
What happens when a tech savvy graduate with zero background in agriculture decides to step into the world of bees? For most, it would sound absurd. But for Stanley Ngeli Somba, it became the spark of a revolution.
Armed not with a smoker and a veil, but with sharp skills in data analytics, Ngeli built a company that lets honey tell its own story – where it came from, which flowers the bees foraged, and even the conditions under which it was harvested. Today, his company Ngeli Foods is not just selling honey. It is building trust in an industry tainted by adulteration, lifting farmers out of poverty, conserving ecosystems, and rewriting what youth-led agribusiness looks like in Kenya.
From IT to Honey: A Journey of Vision and Innovation
Unlike most agripreneurs, Ngeli didn’t inherit a lineage of hives or a family tradition of beekeeping. His roots lie in information technology, with a speciality in data analytics, a field that, at first glance, couldn’t be further from buzzing apiaries. Yet, it is precisely this background that has given Ngeli Foods its edge.
At the heart of his enterprise is a custom-built traceability system that Ngeli designed himself. This system ensures that every jar of honey tells a verifiable story: where it was harvested, the exact geolocation of the farm, the flowers the bees foraged, and even the quality parameters tested before purchase. “What makes Ngeli Foods unique is that our products can be traced completely from hive to table. Technology and data are the backbone of our authenticity,” Ngeli affirms.
Ngeli Foods was formally registered in 2023 , but its story traces back to 2019 , when the young entrepreneur was a first-year student at Strathmore University , pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business information technology . Using his parents’ hives, pocket money, and sheer determination, he started selling honey informally and reinvesting every shilling back into the business.
By the time he graduated in 2022 with a first class honours, he had already grown to more than one hundred hives. Today, Ngeli Foods runs over one hundred and seventy hives of its own and partners with seventy eight beekeepers in Machakos, Makueni, and Kitui, who are trained by the company on sustainable beekeeping practices.
Impacting Farmers, Communities, and the Environment
Ngeli understands that the honey story has two sides: the consumer, who wants genuine, unadulterated honey, and the farmer , who often struggles with poor practices and low returns.
Ngeli Foods bridges this gap by training farmers on proper hive inspection, sustainable harvesting, and environmental conservation. As the young entrepreneur notes, bees are critical: they pollinate 70% of wild food, indirectly supporting food security and biodiversity. Farmers benefit through improved yields, fair prices, and increased income.
Scaling with Partnerships and Awards
The rise of Ngeli Foods has been supercharged by strategic partnerships and prestigious awards. He credits institutions like KIRDI (Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute) and Hand in Hand East Africa for equipping him with machinery, research facilities, and product formulation support that laid the foundation for scaling.
Beyond this, his vision has been validated on global stages: from winning the Global Students Entrepreneurship Awards (GSEA) in both the Kenyan and African chapters, to being part of the Barka Accelerator Cohort 1, the World Resources Institute’s Land Accelerator Top 15 Africa Cohort, and Moonshot Camp 2025. He also earned recognition and support from the Tony Elumelu Foundation (2024), Neycha Accelerator, Ayute Agribusiness under Heifer International, and the KEPSA Market Intelligence Award.
His crowning moment came in 2024, when Ngeli Foods won the Presidential Innovation Award, a milestone that amplified the company’s visibility.
Overcoming Challenges
Ngeli’s journey has been marked by hurdles that test both resilience and ingenuity. One of the toughest has been the unpredictability of weather. Honey production fluctuates sharply with droughts, floods, or prolonged dry spells, making supply inconsistent. “If there is drought, there is no honey. If there is flooding, there is no honey. Seasons can completely determine how much we produce,” he explained. To mitigate this, he now works with a network farmers to spread the risk and ensure year-round supply.
Another persistent challenge lies in sourcing quality produce from farmers. Many farmers still perceive beekeeping as a ‘set and forget’ activity. Ngeli Foods has had to invest heavily in training over seventy eight farmers on sustainable beekeeping, hive inspection, and proper harvesting. This ensures consistent quality while also empowering farmers to earn more from better yields.
The financial realities of running a start-up have been no less demanding. Scaling requires machinery, facilities, and people, yet resources are often tight. The young entrepreneur admits this balance between big vision and limited budgets can be daunting. “I’ve had very tough times financially, from the market side, even trying to figure out the product itself. But one thing I’ve learned is never to give up. Even if it means just showing up while you figure things out, that persistence makes all the difference.”
Ultimately, what keeps him going is the bold mindset he calls being “delulu.” As he puts it: “If you have an idea and you believe in yourself, it’s better to try . You have to be as delusional as possible, wild with your ideas, believe they will work, and just start. That belief has carried me through the hardest challenges.”
The Brand and Market Strategy
Ngeli Foods’ branding is rooted in authenticity and differentiation. Inspired by international honey labeling, the company markets its honey based on floral sources, multiflora, acacia, orange blossom, made possible by its traceability system.
The company serves direct consumers, hotels, and business-to-business (B2B) clients with flexible packaging sizes ranging from 20 grams to tons. Their products are currently available in Nairobi, Machakos, and Kiambu, with the capacity to deliver nationwide.
On the digital front, Ngeli Foods leverages Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook, creating relatable, youthful, and engaging content that appeals to both urban and rural consumers.
The Future: 500 Farmers and Beyond
Looking ahead, he envisions Ngeli Foods scaling its farmer network to over five hundred beekeepers within the next two to three years, while expanding into more byproducts and entering the export market. His goal is to build a global agribusiness brand that remains rooted in sustainability, youth empowerment, and innovation.
Advice to Youth: Start Where You Are
For young people hesitant about venturing into agribusiness, Ngeli has one piece of advice:
“Start where you are. All our beautiful ideas only matter if you implement them. Be imaginative, even delusional, but start. Once you do, believe and manifest, it will happen.”
A Sweet Legacy in the Making
From a student balancing pocket money and hives to a national award-winning entrepreneur, Ngeli embodies the promise of youth-led agribusiness. Through Ngeli Foods, he is proving that innovation, sustainability, and a little bit of “delulu” can indeed build a sweeter, more resilient future for farmers, consumers, and the environment.
The Man behind the Brand
Beyond beekeeping, Ngeli leads a simple life. He is also very disciplined. His mornings begin with gym workouts , followed by a hearty breakfast before heading to work. While he manages the business, he prefers fieldwork over staying in the office, thriving in hands-on engagement with farmers and partners.
A car enthusiast, his dream ride is a Toyota Land Cruiser, chosen for its reliability over luxury. He enjoys simple meals like ugali and mboga (vegetables), values open communication, and feeds his curiosity through YouTube videos on business, real estate, and entrepreneurship.
When it comes to inspiration, his favourite film is Coach Carter, a story about mindset, resilience, and transformation. These themes resonate deeply with his entrepreneurial journey. He will be one of the speakers and exhibitors during the StunnerBiz Mashinani conference and expo next month in Othaya, Nyeri county.
