There are perhaps a dozen serious suppliers of detergent raw materials in Kenya and a great many more people reselling out of a shop in town. The difference matters, and it is not always obvious from a phone call.
What separates a supplier from a reseller
A supplier holds stock, knows which shipment it came from, and can produce a Safety Data Sheet without going away to look for one. A reseller buys a drum when you ask, splits it, and cannot tell you much about it. Both have a place, but if your formulation depends on the surfactant behaving the same way in March as it did in January, you want the first kind.
Three questions sort them quickly. Ask for the price of a 25 kg pail and see whether you get a number or a question about quantity. Ask for the SDS. Ask what the active content is. A supplier answers all three in a minute.
The materials most Kenyan detergent makers actually buy
Whatever the product, the same short list turns up. Sulphonic acid (LABSA 90 or 96, sold locally as Ufacid) for detergency and foam. Sodium lauryl ether sulphate at 70 per cent, known here as Ungerol, for foam and thickening. Caustic soda flakes to neutralise the LABSA. Soda ash light or dense as a builder and alkalinity source. Sodium silicate for detergency, anti-redeposition and a little corrosion protection. CDEA or coconut diethanolamide as a foam booster and thickener. Common salt for viscosity. Then the finishing materials: colour, fragrance, preservative and a sequestrant for hard water.
For bleach and disinfectant, add sodium hypochlorite, pine oil or benzalkonium chloride, and for descalers hydrochloric or sulphamic acid. For fabric softener, a cationic softener base, and for personal care, CAPB, glycerine and a mild preservative system.
Fast-moving lines, with prices
Rates shown are for the smallest pack size. Every product page lists the larger drums and what they work out at per kilo.
What these materials should cost you
Prices in this market move with the shilling and with shipping, so treat any figure older than a month with suspicion. What should not vary is whether a supplier will tell you. Our full price list is published on this site, per pack size, and held for seven days. If a competitor is cheaper on a particular line, that is useful information for you and worth telling us about.
Buying in Nairobi versus upcountry
Almost all of this material lands in Mombasa and is warehoused in Nairobi, so buying anywhere else means paying freight twice. If you are producing in Nakuru, Kisumu or Eldoret, the sensible pattern is to order a larger consignment less often and store it properly, rather than paying courier charges on a 5 kg pail every fortnight. We will help you work out the break-even.
Why we publish our prices
Because the alternative wastes everybody’s morning, and because a customer who can see the number does not have to wonder whether the person on the other end sized them up first. It also means we have to stay competitive, which is uncomfortable but fair.
How long is a published price valid?
Seven days from the date shown on the price list. Imported material moves with the exchange rate and freight, so we would rather update the site than surprise you at the counter.
Do I get a better rate for larger quantities?
Yes. The published figure is the shelf rate. Drums, pallets and standing monthly orders are priced better than that. Send your list with quantities and we will come back with the rate at your volume.
Why is the per kilo price lower on bigger packs?
Handling. Splitting a 170 kg drum into 5 kg pails costs labour, pails, caps and spillage. If you can store a drum safely, moving up one pack size is the easiest saving available to a small producer.
Are your prices inclusive of VAT?
Yes, the figure shown includes VAT. An ETR receipt is issued on every sale.
Do prices include delivery?
No. Prices are for collection. Freight is charged at actual cost and quoted separately so you can see exactly what each part costs.
Can you hold a price for a school term or a contract?
On a defined basket of materials, for a defined period, yes. Fixing every line for twelve months is not something an honest supplier can promise on imported goods.
Send us your list and we will price it
Message the materials and quantities you need with your delivery town. You get confirmed stock, unit prices and a delivery estimate, usually the same day.
