In Kenya, smokies have become a to-go-to snack for most people, whether out of lust, or to temporarily hold the stomach before one can have a decent meal. The Smokie is a type of ready-to-eat smoked sausage that can be made of pork, beef, chicken or a blend of all these meats and other flavourful inclusions.
They are found in almost all eateries and are also sold in almost all streets in the country by vendors. “Smokie pasua” we call it. It comes served with “kachumbari” and sauce, be it tomato, chilli or barbeque.
The contemporary role of the Smokie fits conveniently into our modern lifestyles as some elegant snack rich in high-quality protein and is devised to please the palates of people from across all income groups.
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Smokies made their way into the Kenyan market in the late 1990s and have since gained popularity throughout East Africa.
According to the company website, the Smokie has enabled Farmer’s Choice to create employment for over 500,000 Smokie vendors across the country.
While an average vendor earns about Ksh2,500 for every 5kgs of smokies; essentially, the resources needed to start a Smokie business will include a good trolley, a busy location and a certificate of medical examination.
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