Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s.
Eight out of every ten honey brands sold across Kenyan retail outlets fail basic purity and composition standards, according to a market surveillance report published by the Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK).
The regulatory body sampled 50 honey products from domestic processors and importers. Laboratory analysis revealed that 40 of those brands—representing an 80 percent failure rate—contained unauthorized additives, including industrial sugar syrups, added water, and synthetic sweeteners, despite all of them carrying “100% Pure and Natural Honey” packaging claims.
Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s.
The test results establish a clear breach of KS EAS 36:2020, the East African Standard governing honey specifications. Under regional regulatory guidelines, natural honey must not contain added food ingredients, organic or inorganic additives, or sugar syrups used to stretch volume.
CAK determined that the sale of adulterated honey under pure labeling violates Sections 55(a)(i) and 60(1) of the Competition Act No. 12 of 2010. These provisions prohibit suppliers from offering consumer goods that fail to meet statutory product information standards or making false representations regarding product composition.
Among the processors cited in the regulatory report was Bee Care Apiaries International, whose samples tested positive for prohibited additives. CAK noted that the enforcement case was formally closed after the firm signed compliance commitments, agreeing to rectify its processing lines and packaging standards. Another distributor, Utamu Trade Honey, was flagged after its “Utamu Tele Honey” brand failed purity checks despite being marketed as unadulterated.
The widespread prevalence of adulterated honey highlights an ongoing economic and regulatory challenge in Kenya’s food supply chain. Diluting genuine honey with inexpensive C4 sugar syrups—derived from sugarcane or corn—allows fraudulent processors to dramatically undercut production costs. Authentic beekeepers in traditional production zones such as Kitui, Baringo, and West Pokot struggle to compete against cheap, factory-blended syrups sold at a fraction of genuine harvesting costs.
The findings also point to potential public health risks. Consumers purchasing honey as an unrefined natural alternative to sugar—often for dietary or medical reasons, such as managing metabolic conditions—are instead consuming concentrated sugar syrups without knowing it.
Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s.
CAK confirmed that non-compliant firms have been directed to alter their packaging, review supply sources, and submit to periodic compliance audits. However, the report leaves open critical questions regarding joint enforcement with the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) and whether retail recall orders will be issued for remaining non-compliant batches currently on store shelves.
Every headline has a human face behind it that often gets forgotten. My goal is to dig beneath the surface of breaking news to tell the stories of ordinary people with dignity and grit.
