PRIME Entrepreneur built a nut-butter business from a health crisis 03.06.2026

Stella Auka, after suffering from chronic constipation for years, transformed her diet by eliminating animal protein, which led to significant health improvements. This personal dietary change coincided with her starting a small peanut-roasting business with Sh1,000 in capital, which quickly proved profitable. Despite a non-receptive breast cancer diagnosis in 2016 and undergoing 18 months of treatment, Auka retired early in 2017 and formalized her business as Broad Range Enterprise Ltd. She rebuilt the company from her veranda, initially using basic equipment. Today, Broad Range employs seven staff, processes up to 600 kg of nuts monthly, and supplies various institutions. The business has diversified into cashew, sesame, and almond butter, with cashew butter being a flagship product. Auka has navigated challenges like Kenya's plastic ban, high loan interest rates, and supermarket payment cycles by focusing on resilience and alternative distribution, leading to over 100 percent revenue growth in cashew butter over three years.
















