This archive report was first published on 20 November 2019.
On November 4, 2019, Justin Nyasinga and Antony Ngari were photographed, showcasing their entrepreneurial spirit. Steve Jobs once said, 'Great things in business are never done by one person; they're done by a team of people.' This is the lesson Antony and Justin have learned, much to their delight.
Antony and Justin co-founded Impact Botanicals, a processing company for organic nutritional and body care products. 'We registered the company in 2017,' Antony says. Prior to registration, Antony had registered a sole proprietorship called Richard Foods in 2014.
Antony's passion for healthy nutrition began during his undergraduate studies in Biotechnology and Industrial Microbiology. He was inspired by his family's history of lifestyle diseases and his mother's introduction to herbal alternatives. His undergraduate research focused on Spirulina's nutritional value.
Justin, who met Antony at the United States Army Medical Research Unit (USAMRU – Kenya) in 2013, was drawn to the idea of a business dealing in organic nutritional and body care products. He joined Antony's business, Richard Foods, in 2015, bringing a capital injection of Sh200,000.
Justin's strengths lie in administrative work, while Antony excels in product development, manufacturing, and innovation. Their partnership has been instrumental in the growth of Impact Botanicals, which operates from a four-bedroomed-maisonette in Embakasi, Nairobi.
After successfully pitching at the Lion's Den, a TV show that airs on KTN Home, Justin and Antony partnered with billionaire investor Darshan Chandaria. They were offered Sh2.5 million for 21% stake in the business, which they accepted.
Today, Impact Botanicals boasts a product portfolio of at least 20 items, including honey, hibiscus tea, pumpkin flour, and moringa powder. Justin and Antony are rearing to go, with ambitions to go fully industrial.
