How to Sell Food Online in Kenya: Licences, Kitchen Rules, Pricing and Your First 50 Customers

To sell food online in Kenya, make sure your kitchen and business meet county health and licensing requirements, price each plate from its real cost, use clear photos and a short menu, choose a reliable way to take payment and deliver, and win your first customers through people you already know before expanding.

There has never been an easier time to cook for strangers. A phone camera, M-Pesa and a WhatsApp number are enough to start. But the cooks who last treat it as a business from day one. This guide covers the basics.

Licences and kitchen rules

Requirements vary by county and by what you sell, so check with your county public-health office. In general, a food business should expect to need:

• Business registration and a KRA PIN
• A county business permit
• A public-health certificate for the premises
• Medical certificates for people who handle food
• A clean, separate, well-ventilated food-preparation area

If you sell packaged products, other standards may apply. [VERIFY this list with a public-health reviewer; link to the official sources.]

Platforms ask for proof, too. Qavaeat partners must operate from a certified commercial or cloud kitchen, or have passed a health inspection, hold a Nairobi County public-health certificate and pass an in-person audit and tasting. [CONFIRM current onboarding requirements.]

Price each plate from its real cost

Many new cooks price by guessing what others charge. Instead, add up:

Ingredients per portion

Packaging

Gas, water and electricity

Your labour

Delivery or platform costs

A margin for profit and for the days things go wrong

Illustration only; your numbers will differ. If ingredients are KES 220, packaging KES 30, labour and gas KES 130 and other costs KES 40, your cost is KES 420. A price of KES 520 leaves KES 100 before platform costs. Do this for every dish.

Build a short menu

Five to eight dishes you can make consistently beat thirty you cannot. Offer a vegetarian option, state your portion sizes and take real photos in natural light.

Choose how to be paid and how to deliver

M-Pesa is how most customers expect to pay. For delivery, decide whether you will deliver yourself, use a courier or work through a platform that handles it. Keep packaging sealed and heat-safe, and label dishes with allergens.

Where your first 50 customers come from

• People you know. Offer a trial week to friends, neighbours and former colleagues.
• Offices. One happy person can bring a whole floor, so ask for group orders.
• WhatsApp and social media. Post the day’s dish, the price and the cut-off time.
• Repeat customers. A simple loyalty gesture beats a discount.
• Platforms. An online platform can add customers you would not reach alone.

No platform, including ours, can promise a number of orders. Demand depends on your food, price and consistency.

Why scheduled orders help a small kitchen

When customers order ahead, you know what to buy and cook. Qavaeat notifies partner kitchens of batch orders 12–24 hours ahead and pays out weekly. Partners set their own dish prices; Qavaeat adds a margin for dispatch and payment processing.

Mistakes to avoid

• Cooking before you know how many you will sell
• Skipping the health paperwork
• Pricing without counting your labour
• Taking more orders than your kitchen can handle
• Letting quality slip when you get busy

Frequently asked questions

What do I need to sell food online in Kenya? Usually business registration, a county permit and a public-health certificate, plus medical certificates for food handlers. Check with your county public-health office.

How do I price my food? Add ingredients, packaging, utilities, labour and other costs per portion, then add a margin.

How do I get my first customers? Start with people you know, ask offices for group orders and post your daily dish and cut-off time.

Can I join Qavaeat as a chef? Partner chefs must meet kitchen and hygiene requirements, hold a Nairobi County public-health certificate and pass an audit and tasting.

Related reading:
- Cook to orders, not guesses
- How to choose a reliable meal provider

CTA: Join Qavaeat and reach customers looking for planned, everyday meals.