When Benson Kilonzo set out to build his bakery business, he had the skill, determination, and a ready market within his community. As a trained chef and entrepreneur, he began producing mandazi and bread to meet growing local demand. However, despite his commitment and strong customer interest, one major limitation stood in the way of his growth — his production process was entirely manual.
In the early stages, Benson relied on hand mixing to prepare his dough. The process was physically exhausting, time-consuming, and restricted the volume he could produce in a day. Although his products were appreciated, the limitations in equipment meant that his average daily sales remained at approximately KES 3,000. With constrained output and inconsistent quality, scaling the business felt out of reach.
Recognizing the need to invest in better equipment, Benson sought financial support through Mpanzi SACCO’s asset Financing Package — a financing product designed to help members acquire income-generating assets. Benson’s journey with Mpanzi SACCO began in April 2021, when he accessed his first loan of KES 200,000, which enabled him to purchase essential bakery equipment and strengthen his business foundation. Encouraged by the impact of this first investment, he continued borrowing strategically to grow his enterprise where he accessed KES 20,000 in December 2021, KES 49,000 in June 2022, KES 63,725 in June 2023 and later acquired a loan of KES 104,800 in August 2024. Each loan helped him improve production capacity, maintain stock, and respond to increasing customer demand. Through this facility, he was able to upgrade his production process and move away from purely manual mixing. The impact of this investment was immediate and transformative.
“I have been a member of MPANZI SACCO since 2019 and I qualified for asset financing. I was able to buy an oven and a mixer: equipment I could not afford before. With the oven and proper bakery machines, my production increased immediately. I can now bake more bread and pastries in a shorter time and serve customers without delays. Before, customers would wait or even leave, but now I meet their demand comfortably.” a smiley Benson narrates.
Benson’s average daily sales increased from KES 3,000 to KES 5,000 which has strengthened cash flow, improved household income stability and created room for reinvestment in the business. Today, his bakery consistently supplies mandazi, bread, cakes (ceremonial cakes), doughnuts, and French fries to the local community. What was once a physically demanding micro-enterprise has evolved into a growing and more sustainable business. The investment in productive assets not only improved operational efficiency but also enhanced product quality and market competitiveness.
Benson’s journey illustrates the transformative power of targeted asset financing. Access to the right financial product enabled him to invest in productive assets, increase his income, and strengthen the sustainability of his enterprise. As he reflects on his growth, he expresses deep appreciation for the support that made it possible.
Benson says “I am grateful to Mpanzi SACCO for believing in my business and giving me the opportunity to grow step by step. With continued support and access to financing, my dream is to expand my bakery into a fully equipped production business, employ more people, and supply quality products to a wider market.”