Kenya’s transition toward sustainable industrial operations has received a significant boost following the launch of a 30-unit electric truck fleet by Browns Plantations Kenya Limited at its Kericho operations.
The initiative represents one of the most ambitious electric mobility deployments within the country’s agricultural sector, signalling a shift in how large-scale plantations approach transport, logistics, and environmental sustainability.
The first 15 trucks are already operational, with the remaining vehicles scheduled for phased deployment as charging infrastructure and supporting systems continue to expand across the company’s estates and factories.
The programme is being delivered through a strategic partnership with ElandX and NCBA Group. Under the arrangement, ElandX provides the fleet through an innovative fleet-as-a-service model, while NCBA Group supports the transition through structured financing and leasing solutions that reduce the need for significant upfront capital investment.
According to Browns Plantations Kenya Chief Executive Officer Dushanth Ratwatte, the move reflects a broader transformation in industrial logistics within agriculture.
“This deployment represents a shift in how we think about industrial logistics. We are integrating electric mobility into the core of our estate operations to improve efficiency, reduce emissions, and build a more resilient and future-ready production system,” said Ratwatte.
The company has already established charging infrastructure across several estates and processing facilities, creating the foundation for a larger electric fleet in the years ahead.
The electric truck programme forms part of Browns Plantations Kenya’s wider sustainability agenda, which combines renewable energy, low-carbon transport systems, and environmentally responsible production practices. The company already operates an aerial ropeway network that transports harvested tea across plantation terrain, helping reduce dependence on conventional fuel-powered transport.
Renewable energy also plays a growing role in the business. Approximately 60 percent of its electricity requirements are currently supplied through company-owned hydro and solar generation assets, with the balance sourced from Kenya’s largely renewable national power grid.
Beyond transport electrification, Browns Plantations Kenya has outlined ambitious environmental targets, including achieving full reliance on company-owned renewable energy by 2030 and attaining carbon neutrality by 2040.
The development comes as Kenya continues to strengthen its position as a regional hub for electric mobility, supported by favourable policy frameworks, growing private sector investment, and increasing adoption of clean transport technologies.
Formerly known as James Finlays Kenya, Browns Plantations Kenya is among the country’s largest tea and timber producers, managing more than 5,000 hectares of tea estates and over 2,000 hectares of forestry operations across Kericho and Bomet counties. The company operates four tea factories, nine tea estates, and extensive timber assets.
Browns Plantations Kenya is part of Browns Plantations, a division of LOLC Holdings PLC, the Sri Lankan multinational group with investments across multiple industries worldwide. The company also maintains a unique community ownership structure, with the Kipsigis Highlands Multipurpose Cooperative Society holding a 15 percent stake in the business.
As industrial decarbonisation gains momentum across Africa, the Browns Plantations initiative offers a compelling example of how agriculture, clean energy, innovative financing, and electric mobility can converge to create more sustainable and resilient business operations.
