“We now have groups of monkeys and gazelles visiting the farm”

At the foothills of Mount Elgon in Kenya, Mount Elgon Orchards has built its reputation on more than just rose production. The company, which also grows avocados, recently received national recognition for its commitment to employee health and safety, a distinction that reflects the philosophy of owner of the company, Bob Andersen.

“We were chosen as the number one company in the entire Agricultural Sector,” says Channa van der Spek, referring to the company’s recent recognition by Kenya’s Directorate of Occupational Safety and Health Services. “That shows we care for our people, and that is our second what we stand for.”

The award recognizes companies that go beyond legal requirements in workplace safety and employee wellbeing.”For us, it is very important that the people who work with us feel safe, feel heard, and enjoy their work,” Channa explains. “Our Company has three core values: quality, responsibility, and fun. Quality is born from happy people who enjoy their work and their workplace.”

© Martijn Haas | FloralDaily.com
Gerben Heemskerk, Channa Van der Spek, Isaac Ngetich and Donata Nkonge of Mount Elgon Orchards at IFTEX 2026

Quality starts in the field
Mount Elgon Orchards currently operates 45 hectares of roses and 116 hectares of avocados. According to Channa, the company’s focus on quality begins with labor-intensive cultivation practices. “We produce roses and avocados, and we do so at a very high quality level,” she says. “In our fields we have the highest number of workers per hectare which costs more obviously, but translates directly into a faster cool chain and longer vase life.”

This intensive approach allows the company to maintain strict quality standards from the earliest stages of production. “From cultivation onwards, the bar is set very high,” Channa explains. “We guarantee that our roses have a long vase life, mostly exceeding two weeks.”

Farming alongside nature
Beyond commercial production, biodiversity has become a defining feature of the farm. Mount Elgon Orchards is currently involved in a project to plant one million trees and has made a conscious decision not to clear natural vegetation for cultivation. “We don’t cut down trees to create production areas,” Channa says. “We work around nature.”

The impact has become increasingly visible over the years. Wildlife that had disappeared from the area has gradually returned. “We now have groups of colobus monkeys, many gazelles, and all kinds of wildlife coming onto the farm,” she explains. “When Bob purchased the farm from his Father 30 years ago, the land had few trees. Today it is heavily forested.”

Channa says the location offers advantages for rose production. “We are located at the foot of Mount Elgon at 2000 metres, we have two permanent rivers flowing through the farm and massive amounts of lined water storage. Bob is a grower through and through and the 8th generation of his family involved in farming. “You will often find him walking the roses from 5 am with a torchlight.”

Exploring sea freight without compromising quality
Like many growers seeking to reduce their environmental footprint, Mount Elgon Orchards continues to investigate sea freight options for roses. The company already exports avocados by sea and sees potential benefits in terms of carbon reduction. “Bob’s ambition is for the company to become CO₂-neutral in the coming years, and sea freight could play an important role in that,” says Channa.

The company has conducted several rose sea freight trials over the years and achieved promising results before the COVID-19 pandemic. “Before COVID, transit times were shorter (around three weeks) and we achieved very good results with roses,” she explains.

Today, however, transit times remain a challenge. “The issue is the total transit time from the farm until the product arrives at its destination. We have learned through all our tests that there is a maximum acceptable transit period of around 3.5 weeks.”

For now, the company has decided to hold off on large-scale sea shipments of roses to Europe. “Once the troubles in the Middle East are sorted, we will revisit Sea Freight, but for now the transit times are unreliable and too long for guaranteed quality. Quality has to remain our priority,” says Channa.

For more information:
Mount Elgon Orchards
[email protected]
www.mtelgon.com