Mbuyuni Farm Retreat

Kimango Farm Products

Chili ~ Hibiscus Tea ~ Moringa ~ Lemon Grass Tea

At Kimango Farms we organically grow, process and pack chili, hibiscus, moringa and lemon grass. Our annual production is around 25.000 kg of herbal teas and spices. Most of our products are exported in 15-25 kg units by sea container to Europe where we have established a reputation for excellent quality. Our herbal teas are also sold on the East African Market.

Our importer in Germany is:

  • BioSim e.K., attn. Mr. Saro Ratter, Oderdinger Strasse 9, 82362 Weilheim i.OB., Germany; Tel: ++49/8851/9401800; biosim-online.de

Our buyer in Tanzania is:

  • Chai Bora Ltd. P.O.Box 40670Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

In North America, we directly retail our products as Safi Sana Superfoods. Our farm tea blend is Herbal Honest Tea. Moringa leaf powder is sold as a spice on its own and is also a key ingredient in our breakfast mix Green Dream. Lastly, our cayenne is in our caffeinated cocoa mix Rhinocolate.

Our Products

Chili

Doto harvesting Cayenne chilis.

Doto harvesting Cayenne chilis.

In the last couple of years chili has become our main crop. We sell it whole (in sizes ranging from 3-12 cm), as flakes and as chili powder. We offer Bird’s Eye and Cayenne chilis.

All our chilis are picked by hand and dried in our new dryer. Then they are cut to customer requirements or packed as whole fruits. It is our aim to finally pack this product within 48 hours from harvesting. Annual production in 2009 will probably reach 20.000 kg of processed product. Our main customers are in Italy and Germany.

We have also been selling fresh chilis in limited quantities, in Tanzania and abroad. If you are interested in chilis please also visit “The Chili Story” on this website.


Hibiscus Tea

Hibiscus - almost ready for harvesting.

Hibiscus – almost ready for harvesting.

Hibiscus is a genus of more than 200 annual and perennial species native to the subtropical and tropical regions of the world. Most species are grown as ornamentals, others for paper and fibre making and some to make herbals teas, jams and juices.

We grow hibiscus sabdariffa, also called rosella or karkade, and process a herbal tea by drying the fruit petals after removing the seed capsules. This used to be our main crop for a
number of years until large scale production in West Africa flooded the European markets. Nowadays we sell this product mainly on the local market under the “African Infusions” and “Kilimanjaro Infusions” labels. It is encouraging to see that the demand for organically produced foostuff is rising in East Africa. We offer this healthy tea in various cuts: whole, 3-5mm, and as a tea bag cut.

Besides being a very refreshing tea, hot or as an ice tea, it has a high iron content and is said to have diuretic properties and it can lower blood pressure.


Moringa

A stand of young moringa trees in a mixed cropping system with lemongrass.

A stand of young moringa trees in a mixed cropping system with lemongrass.

In 2014 we started cultivating moringa (M. oleifera and M. stenopetala), a small drought resistant tree with very nutritious leaves and other plant parts. The leaves have seven times the vitamin C of oranges and four times the vitamin A of carrots besides many other health benefits.

So far we have only exported leaf powder but in future plan to produce moringa oil and powders from the bark and root as well.


Lemon Grass Tea

Harvesting Lemon Grass.

Harvesting Lemon Grass.

Cymbopogon (lemongrass) is a genus of more than 50 perennial grasses that grow in most subtropical and tropical regions of the world.

Lemongrass is commonly used for the production of essential oils, fresh in various Asian dishes and dried as a tea. We cut our fresh lemongras leaves into 5-10mm pieces, dry them and sell them to our customers as a delightful lemony-flavored tea.

Lemongrass contains Vitamin A and is said to help with lowering fever , relieving cough and nasal congestion and with calming nerves.


 

– More photos below –

Jennie hand sorting organic sun-dried Bird's Eye chilis.

Jennie hand sorting organic sun-dried Bird’s Eye chilis.

Chili harvest ready for separation.

Chili harvest ready for separation.

Separating the hibiscus seeds from the flower.

Separating the hibiscus seeds from the flower.

Cut lemon grass drying in the sun.

Cut lemon grass drying in the sun.