Kabarak University, Capwell Industries shine at Kenya Quality Awards 2025

Top Kenyan companies and institutions were celebrated Friday night for their outstanding commitment to excellence, innovation, and customer satisfaction during the Kenya Quality Awards (KQA) 2025 gala dinner held in Nairobi.

The annual awards, organised by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs), recognise businesses and public institutions that have demonstrated exceptional quality practices in production, service delivery, and export competitiveness under the theme “Quality: Think Differently.”

Kabarak University, Capwell Industries Limited, and Embu University emerged as the Overall Winners, Company of the Year (Large Enterprises), while Health Classique Limited, Blesteire Beauty Investment, and Aquifina Technologies and Solutions Company took top honours in the SME category.

In the Product of the Year category, Capwell Industries Limited, Kenchic PLC, and Haleon Kenya Limited triumphed among large enterprises, while Health Classique Limited, Blesteire Beauty Investment, and Amaridina Enterprises took the honours among MSMEs, recognising brands that have demonstrated quality, innovation, and customer trust in their products.

The Service of the Year- Private Large Enterprises category saw Kabarak University and CPF Financial Services feted for excellence in service delivery, innovation, and customer focus.

In the Public Sector, the Capital Markets Authority, Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen), and the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) were recognised as Service of the Year, Public Large Enterprises, for setting high standards in institutional performance and stakeholder engagement.

In the Exporter of the Year (Agro-Processing, Large Enterprises) category, Kipkebe Tea Company and Kenchic PLC were celebrated for demonstrating Kenya’s growing strength in quality-driven exports and sustainable agribusiness.

Kebs Managing Director Esther Ngari praised the winners for redefining what quality means in today’s marketplace.

“These organisations are role models that have placed customers at the heart of their processes, embraced innovation, and built systems that deliver consistent excellence,” she said.

“Quality is not just about compliance, it is about competitiveness, sustainability, and national pride.”

Kebs Board Chairperson Chris Wamalwa said the awards embody Kenya’s determination to build a globally competitive, ethically grounded, and quality-driven economy.

“This year’s theme, ‘Quality: The Cornerstone of a Competitive and Sustainable Kenya,’ reflects the discipline, innovation, and resilience that define our industrial future,” he said.

Representing Trade Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui, Principal Secretary Juma Mukhwana reaffirmed the government’s commitment to nurturing a culture of quality, innovation, and global competitiveness.

“Kenya’s ambition to become an industrial hub under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda and Vision 2030 rests on quality, the bridge between policy and practice,” he said.

The awards, he added, reflect Kenya’s growing confidence as a producer of trusted goods and services, capable of competing and thriving on the global stage.

The Kenya Quality Awards (KQA) continue to serve as a national benchmark for excellence, inspiring businesses and institutions to embrace quality as the foundation of Kenya’s sustainable growth and global competitiveness.

The winners will also take part in the East African Quality Awards (EAQA) to be held in Nairobi next month.

It will be held on the sidelines of the SMEs trade fair.

The last regional awards were held in Kampala, Uganda.

The winners were determined through a rigorous, transparent assessment process led by an independent jury comprising industry captains, private sector leaders, and representatives from relevant associations.

Organisations were evaluated on seven key criteria.

These are leadership commitment and direction, customer focus and market orientation, evidence-based decision-making, and engagement of people.

Others are process approach, infrastructure and work environment, and legal and regulatory compliance.

Kebs facilitated the submission of assessment reports but did not participate in the final judging, ensuring objectivity and fairness. 

The jury independently reviewed reports, benchmarked performance, and selected winners based on evidence and impact.