The Ultimate Mega Guide To Snacks In Kenya: Candy, Chips & More

Hey welcome, get ready to explore the world of snacks that Nairobi and Kenya have to offer! Whether you’re a die-hard snacker or a newbie, looking to expand your snack horizons, you’re in for a treat (literally).

If you are here to research the best-selling snacks for your vending machine gig, what can I say except, you are welcome?

The post is gonna be so long you might wanna grab a snack for this; Grabbing a snack for a post on snacks? Seriously long post ahead.

If you are interested in fast food check out my post on; The Ultimate Guide+Review to Fast Food in Nairobi:(20 Listings).

1. LOCAL SNACKS

This post is heavily on processed and bagged snacks that can be bought at the supermarket; for your next picnic, party, movie night, or just snacks you wanna bring along to work. For the freshly made options check this post on Kenyan Street Foods. Local snacks are mostly tangy and savory thanks to the love of heat, spice, and herbs. There are sweet pastry and bakery options as well.

In Kenya’s snack scene, there isn’t much offering on different types of snacks, just multiple variations of the same thing by different brands. This is kinda disappointing but oh well. Sasa tutadu?

Also Read: 5 Kenyan Snacks From 2000’s You Probably Forgot About

1A. POTATO CRISPS & POTATO SNACKS

The top 3 local potato crisps(chips) brands are Tropical Heat, Urban Bites, and Krackles.

(1) Tropical Heat Crisps

Owned by Tropical Heat Group, the famous classic crisps come in 7 flavors;

●Salted,●Cheese-Onion,●Nyama Choma,●Chili-Lemon,●Tomato ●Salt &Vinegar.

These Tropical Heat crisps are not the softest, yes they are crunchy( which is a good thing), but again so hard, probably harder than Krackles and Urban Bites.

Available in bag sizes of (50g,1.8oz) to (400g,14oz)

Approximate calories come between 500 to 600 kcal per 100g serving.

Tropical Heat Crisps Chilli-Lemon Flavour 50g

(2) Urban Bites

Owned by Norda Industries, founded in 2008. Urban Bites comes in 7 variations/flavors;

●Tomato●Summer Salt●Salt & Vinegar●Peri Peri●Paprika●Nyama Choma●Fruit Chutn’y.

Nyama Choma is basically barbecue flavor as Nyama Choma is Swahili for grilled meat. Urban Bites comes in bag sizes of (120g,4oz) and (30g, 1oz) across all 7 flavors.

Approximate Calories: 251kJ/100g

(3) Krackles

Processed by The Snack Factory a division of Pro pack-Kenya Ltd. Krackles have been in production since 1996. They taste okay just like any average classic crisps.

The flavors include;

●Tutti-Frutti, ●Flavor,●Barbecue,●Tangy Tomato,●Tingly Cheese & Onion,●Caramel,●Salted ●Hot & Sweet.

4. Krackles Kettle Chips

Unlike classic Krackles chips above, the Kettle is processed in batches. Distinctively thin and super crispy with a good crunch. Flavoring is generous and intense.

The Lemon and black pepper flavor for instance; has black pepper as the overpowering flavor and lemon is the aftertaste.

A single 30g package has 131 calories and allergens may include: milk, nuts, and gluten

Krackles Kettle Chips Lemon & Black Pepper

5. Masala Sticks

These are potato sticks seasoned with masala mix. The common brand is Tropical Heat Masala Sticks by The Tropical Heat Group. You might wanna skip these if you can’t handle spice, or have an accompanying drink to wash them down

Masala sticks look like mini french fries but overly thin and short, infact they just look like wood chippings but are regular in shape. Unlike fries, they are not oily infact they are dry and crisp. On opening the bag, you are greeted with a spicy subtle aroma with notes of vegetable oil

What do Masala Sticks taste like? The first thing is the satisfying crunch, upon chewing the sticks down, the flavors start kicking in. They taste like potato crisps but just in a different shape and thickness, then next the masala spice kicks in. The spice heat grows intense with every second and will have you salivating for more. The aftertaste is just the residual heat from your tongue to your throat. Now this is where your cold drink comes to clutch

Packs approx 2277kJ/100g.

Ingredients: Potatoes● Salt● Chilies● Turmeric● Sugar● Citric Acid● Vegetable Oil

6. Kenyan Chevda

This is without doubt the most iconic and ethnic Kenyan snack. It is owned by The Tropical Heat Group. Other brands offer it too but the quality is not to Tropical Heat level.

What does chevda taste like? The first thing you appreciate is the sweetness plus crunchiness from the fried chips and chickpeas, then upon 2 to 3 munches, the nuttiness from the peanuts and cashew nuts explodes, and then the herby taste finishes it off from the dry herbs used. The aftertaste is slight heat and spice with a subtle sweetness.

It is a blend of different snacks like; Processed Potatoes, Nuts, Herbs, and Spices, with at least 5 variants;

●Original ●Hot ●Masala ● Chili ●No added sugar.

It is mostly spicy and sweet but with the perfect balance. The crunchy texture is to die for as well. Kenyan Chevda is available in the following bag sizes; (50g,1.7oz) (150g,5.3oz) and (340g,12oz). It packs approximately 2204kJ/100g serving with the following ingredients; Potatoes, Peanuts, Cashew nuts, Curry leaves, Sugar, and Spices among others.

Kenyan Chevda Hot [Image: Amazon Reviews @Jatelo]

Buy on Amazon US

7. Elbbin Nibble

This is a multigrain chips brand with chips in a unique wavy pattern w-shape. Corn Flour, Whole Wheat, Rice Flour, Oats, and Wheat Bran are combined with Salt, Vegetable Oil, and BBQ flavors.

The flavors are not that intense at least for the BBQ, in my opinion, I could smell it but not taste it. (Just like the pizza delivery guy)

The chips are thick in cross-section and have a satisfying crunch

The 30g packet packs 144.6kcal and allergens include: Gluten and Dairy

1B: CORN SNACKS

1. Ola Tortila Chips

Ola tortilla chips are made from corn, they are the local version of Doritos. Tortilla chips have less fat than potato chips(crisps) thus a healthier alternative. The Ingredients in these tortillas are; Corn, Oil(Canola, Sunflower, or Vegetable), Salt, and Flavors. The flavor offerings from Ola include; Lightly Salted, Cheese Crunch, Cool Crunch, Lime Crunch, and Mexican Crunch.

2. Ringoz

Ringoz are baked corn puffs from Norda Industries. They are notorious for being addictive at least for me and the majority of people. The main ingredients are corn grits, vegetable oil, and flavors; Paprika and Barbecue.

Available in (30g, 1oz ) and (80g, 2.8oz ) bags. Calories 2066.9kJ/100g

3. Bitez

Just like Ringoz, they are both made by Norda Industries. They pack the same ingredients and differ in shape and texture. Bitez are more crunchy than Ringoz. They also differ in shape; Ringoz are rings while Bitez are corn curls.

Bitez Crunchy Corn packs 2066.9kJ/100g in calories

4.Popcorns

A puffy snack made from popping specific corn kernels in heat vegetable oil and salt. It is enjoyed crunchy. Premade popcorn from the shops is convenient as it is ready to eat and no preparation is required. Also, it comes in a variety of flavors to suit every taste bud. The drawbacks of premade popcorn are losing crunchiness and turning stale if it sit on the shelf for a while.

I prefer making my own at home on the stove, and then drizzling ghee and ground fine salt before tossing them and enjoying

5. Bdelo Tortilla Chips

These are tortilla chips, not made entirely from corn, but potato as well. They are thin and crunchy compared to the Ola Tortilla chips above. The package says they contain no MSG or Gluten. It is funny that MSG myths still exist in 2023 after studies confirm it is naturally occurring, and the FDA confirms it is safe They taste mid however, in my opinion, the cheese onion flavor isn’t that punchy. Despite that, they are generally okay. Use them to make nachos or dip in guacamole or salsa.

1C: OTHERS

1. Banana Chips:

Crunchy delicious slices of banana that have been sliced, dried, or deep fried and flavored as desired. They are an alternative to potato and tortilla chips. However, they are not as good as potato chips IMO

2. Fried Peas:

Lower in calories and higher in fiber, also to mention they pack high protein contents. They are extra crunchy and almost on the hard level. You need good teeth for these. Note that fried peas are highly processed with added sugar and don’t compare nutritionally to normally cooked peas.

Recommended Brands:(Tropnuts, Honeycomb)

3. Cashew Nuts:

Cashew nuts are usually expensive and cost up to 5x other nuts. You might be wondering why; First off the extraction process is labor intensive, the shell that contains the nuts are poisonous, and everything is done manually. A Kg of raw cashew nuts in Kenya goes for over KSh 2,500.

Cashew nuts in Kenya are grown in the coastal counties of Kwale, Kilifi, Mombasa, and Lamu.

Raw cashews have a creamy and slightly sweet taste, while roasted cashews have a nuttier and more robust flavor. It’s important to note that while cashews are healthy and nutritious, they are also high in calories and fat. A single serving of cashews (28g, 1oz) contains around 150-200 calories. Just like peanuts, cashew nuts can be bought fried or roasted, some are even coated in honey and they are heavenly.

Recommended Brands: (Out of Africa, Nutfields)

4. Peanuts:

Also known as Njugu Karanga which translates to Fried Peanuts. Peanuts are also known as Groundnuts. They are commonly grown in Western counties of Kenya but on a small scale. They are relatively cheap and a 1 kg packet of raw dried peanuts is just over KSh 250 in the farmer’s market.

Processed bagged peanuts are popular and healthy as they pack high amounts of proteins, minerals, fiber, and fats. Characterized by crunchy and flavorful texture with nutty notes. Peanuts are either roasted or fried before being packed. Some are salted others are not, same for skinning; with skin or without skin. Peanuts can also be flavored with different flavorings, especially chili lemon. Some are even coated with masala paste. The masala ones are spicy and my personal favorite

Recommended Brands:(Tropnuts, Naturalli, Happy’s & Green Forest)

5. Macadamia:

Macadamia nuts are grown in Central counties of Kenya, especially in Murang’a and Kiambu. Just like cashew nuts, macadamia nuts are expensive, 1 kg will cost you over KSh 2,300. The high price is due to the extraction process 2,068,000 newtons per square meter are required to crack a nut.

Macadamia nuts from the Macadamia tree are roasted, salted, then packed. It’s important to keep in mind that macadamia nuts are high in calories, so it’s best to enjoy them in moderation as part of a balanced diet. You can opt to buy raw ones and roast them by yourself too

Recommended Brands:(Nutfields, Equatorial, Out of Africa, & Simply Gourmet)

6. Mixed Nuts:

A delicious snack blend that incorporates other snacks, especially nuts. The mixing of different nuts is done in ratios. The constituents include; Peanuts, Cashew-Nuts, Macadamia, almonds, and walnuts. Herbs can be added sometimes as well. Processing companies are notorious for using peanuts with over 50% of the mixture and calling it “Mixed Nuts” lol. They do so to save costs as peanuts are relatively cheaper in contrast to other exotic nuts.

Recommended Brands: (Nutfields, Out of Africa, & Tropical Heat-Exotic Snacks)

7. Mandazi Bites:

Small deep-fried cubed donuts that are bite-sized. They come in different flavor twists; Lemon, Banana, Coconut, Milk, and Honey.

Mill Bakers Limited makes the best mandazi bites IMO. The freshly made from the supermarket bakery section; [ Carrefour, Naivas, and Quickmart ] are fairly good, but I find them lacking consistency; they might be a hit today, and the following day a miss.

Note:

The recommended brands above are on the basis of quality, satisfaction, and consistency from my honest consumer experience. I am not affiliated with any of the mentioned brands.

2. INTERNATIONAL SNACKS

Not available everywhere as opposed to the previously discussed local snacks, but can be found in big cities and towns especially in major; supermarkets, petrol stations, IMAX Cinemas, and in malls. Some of the popular options are discussed below

2A:Chocolate & Candy

1.M&Ms

M&Ms are colorful candies with chocolate or peanut filling. Each candy is printed with the letter m (since 1950) and thus their name M&M. Introduced in 1941 by Mars, the M&M stands for Mars and Murrie. Production of peanut M&Ms started in 1954 all in brown color

Production: Molten chocolate is molded and cooled then liquid candy made from sugar and corn syrup is sprayed and then final coatings of different colors are done.

2. Snickers

Snickers is the official chocolate bar sponsor for The NFL since 2002. It is owned by Mars Wrigley. The first Snicker bar was made in 1930 and sold for 5 cents, it is named after a horse. Between 1967 and 1990, Snickers was known as the ‘Marathon Bar’ in The UK. Fun size Snickers was created in 1968, In 1989 snickers ice cream was launched, and in 2013 it surpassed $ 1 Billion in sales.

Snickers consist of 4 main layers:

1. a base nougat: (the white layer) that is chewy, the nougat is made from corn syrup, sugar, and whipped egg whites

2. peanuts: Peanuts add texture and a nutty flavor, one bar has approx 16 peanuts for the regular-sized bar

3. caramel: Caramel layer is added on top of the roasted peanuts

4. chocolate: chocolate is then drizzled all over and covers in all three layers before cooling, solidifying, and getting wrapped

Allergens: Milk, eggs, peanuts, and soy: Please check the product for accurate information.

The iconic ‘You’re not you when you’re hungry’ advertising slogan was created in 2010. This iconic slogan has even made its way to the meme culture

The Hulk: You are not you when you're hungry — The Hulk: You are not you when you’re hungry

3. Kit Kat

It is a wafer but covered with milk chocolate currently owned by Nestle. First created by Rowntree’s in 1935, in The UK. In 1937 it was renamed Kit Kat from the original name Rowntree’s Chocolate Crisp.

Kit Kat’s famous slogan is ”Have a Kit Kat, Have a break” to emphasize it as the ideal break time from work and during leisure snack.

It is said there are many flavors of Kit Kat from different parts of the world, some limited to certain markets. In estimation, there are over 300 in Japan alone and more worldwide from 100+ countries. The main ones include; White Chocolate, Dark Chocolate, and Milk Chocolate. Japan is where Kit Kat is more popular and Kit Kat’s biggest market. They even have dedicated Kit Kat shops. Some variations require baking first before consuming!

The reason for their popularity and obsession is that they translate to Japanese as ‘kitto katsu’ Which means ‘surely win’ and is thus associated with good luck, making them so giftable, especially in exams and competitions like in sports and athletics.

4. Skittles

Taste the rainbow, Is Skittles’ marketing slogan. Skittles are colorful hard-shelled candy with chewy insides. It is owned by Mars Inc, Skittles has been in existence since 1974 and have a variety of fruity flavors in one pack; strawberry, orange, lemon, green apple, and grape

Sour Skittles(Green Skittles) have a citric acid coating that gives the sour distinct taste, and will definitely destroy the roof of your mouth. Sour Skittles packs the same flavors as regular ones. Introduced in the early 2000s, these variants are notorious for bleeding gums sometimes, but still can’t get enough of them!

5. Dairy Milk Chocolate

Processed by Cadbury a British confectionery company. This is by far the most common and readily available chocolate brand in Kenya. Their chocolate bars come in at least 4 different sizes and have different flavors; Plain Milk Chocolate, White Chocolate, Hazel Nut, Fruit & Nut, Cashew & Coconut, Top Deck, Top Deck Mint, Whole Nut… the list goes on and on. Milk Chocolate is made with Powdered Milk, Cocoa Powder, and sugar. They are characterized by smooth silky textures and are normally creamy.

Calories: 2180kJ/100g

Ingredients: Sugar, Full Cream Milk Powder, Cocoa Mass, Cocoa Butter, Vegetable Fats [Palm Fruit, Sunflower Seed, Shea Nut, Illipe Seed, Sal Seed (Soya) (Citric Acid) (Tocopherol)], Whey Permeate (Cow’s Milk), Emulsifiers (E442, E476), Flavourings.

6. Bounty

Produced by Mars Inc, Bounty is a chocolate bar with a coconut filling. The coconut filling is from desiccated coconut, combined with sugar and glucose syrup. The filling is moist and gooey with rich coconut flavors.

Introduced in 1951 in UK, Europe, and Canada, Bounty is now available in most parts of the world. Bounty’s tagline is ”The taste of paradise”

Calories:953kJ/100g

Ingredients: Milk Chocolate Coating (36%): Milk Chocolate Coating: Sugar● Milk Solids (Skimmed Milk Powder● Lactose● Milk Fat● Whey Powder)● Cocoa Butter● Cocoa Mass● Emulsifier (Soya Lecithin (E322))● Natural Vanilla Extract)● Centre Filling: (desiccated Coconut (21%)● Sugar● Glucose Syrup● Emulsifiers (Mono And Di-Glycerides Of Fatty Acids (E471)● Glycerol (E422))● Salt● Natural Vanilla Extract.

7. Mars

A fusion of chocolate, caramel, and nougat. Nougat is made from whipping egg whites adding sugar and glucose syrup. Caramel is by combining condensed milk and sugar and it is all covered with milk chocolate. Mars is owned by Mars Inc, originally produced in 1932 and handmade. To this day the bars are made in the same original factory and produces up to 3 million Mars bars daily! In 1989 Mars Ice cream was introduced, and a Mars bottled drink was introduced in 1998.

Calories: 953kJ/100g

Ingredients: Milk Chocolate With Soft Nougat (32%)● Soy And Caramel Center (27%)

8. Lunch bar

The Lunch bar is a peanut chocolate offering from Cadbury. It has caramel, wafer, and crunchy rice added as well. From its composition, I think it is supposed to compete with Snickers from Mars Inc.

It packs approx 2100kJ/100g and has the following ingredients

Sugar● Glucose Syrup● Vegetable Fats [palm Fruit● Sunflower Seed (Antioxidant-tbhq)● Shea Nut● Illipe Seed● Sal Seed (Soya) (Citric Acid)]● Peanuts (9%)● Cocoa Butter● Wheat Flour (Gluten)● Full Cream Milk Powder● Cocoa Mass● Rice Flour● Whey Permeate (Cow’s Milk)● Invert Sugar● Whey Powder (Cow’s Milk)● Emulsifiers (E442● E471● E476● E322-soya)● Humectant (Glycerol)● Salt● Flavourings● Raising Agent (E500)● Colourants (E122● E142● E104● E110)● Barley Malt (Gluten)● Acidifying Agent (E334)● Preservative (E223).

9. Kinder Joy:

Marketed towards kids. The plastic egg-shaped candy is owned by an Italian company; The Ferrero Group. The company’s products include; Tic Tac, Nutella, Kinder Chocolates, and Ferrero Rocher. Kinder joy splits into halves, one part has a chocolate filling while the other one has toys or figurines. The surprise of what toy the kids get is the major selling point, it even has for boys and for girls versions with each having specific toys for a specific gender.

10. Kinder Chocolates

Produced by Ferrero, Kinder Chocolates are made from milk and hazelnut that form a creamy inner layer(filling) that is later covered by milk chocolate. The Kinder Chocolate range consists of; Kinder Joy, Kinder Bueno, Kinder Maxi, and Kinder Surprise.

Kinder Chocolate Calories: 360kJ/100g

Kinder Chocolate Ingredients: Milk Chocolate (39%) (Sugar● Milk Powder● Cocoa Butter● Cocoa Mass● Lecithin● Vanillin)● Sugar● Skim Milk Powder● Vegetable Fat● Anhydrous Milk Fat● Emulsifiers● Flavoring

Kinder Bueno is wafer-based and chocolate filled. It is available in hazelnut chocolate and in white chocolate. Packs approx 2384kJ/100g in both variations.

Ingredients(Hazel Nut): Milk Chocolate (Sugar● Cocoa Butter● Cocoa Mass● Skim Milk Powder● Anhydrous Milk Fat● Soy And/Or Sunflower Lecithin● Vanillin)● Sugar● Modified Palm Oil● Wheat Flour● Hazelnuts● Skim Milk Powder● Milk Powder● Dark Chocolate (Sugar● Cocoa Mass● Cocoa Butter● Soy And/Or Sunflower Lecithin● Vanillin)● Cocoa Powder● Soy.

Ingredients( White):White Chocolate 28% (Cocoa Butter● Sugar● Skimmed Milk Powder● Concentrated Butter● Emulsifier: Lecithins (Soya)

11. Tic Tacs

Tic Tacs are small hard candy that looks like pills. Tic Tac is owned by The Ferrero Group as stated above. Tic Tacs are available in different flavors; mint(white) intense mint(blue) strawberry(pink) and orange(orange). The tacs are packed in a small plastic container with a resealable flip lid.

2B: Chips

1. Lays

Lays Classic potato chips brand owned by Frito-Lays a subsidiary of Pepsi Co, Inc. They are too thin and thus brittle. They are so crunchy and have endless ways to enjoy them; snack, dip them in sauces, or crush them to make perfect crusts for chicken.

The classic flavors include; ●Sour Cream Onion ●Original ●Salt & Vinegar and Barbecue. Lays also has unique offerings including;● Limon ●Flamin Hot ● Cheddar & Sour Cream ●Honey Barbecue ●Cheddar Jalapeno ●Sweet Southern Barbecue ● Dill Pickle and Adobodas

2. Pringles

Unlike ordinary potato chips/crisps, Pringles are made from dehydrated potato flakes, mixed with corn and wheat starches. However, claims state that the potato content is less than fillers and therefore not widely recognized as potato chips. They are famous for their uniform parabolic shape and are packed in long tins as opposed to conventional bags. Due to the uniformity in geometry, they are stackable and thus take up really small spaces in the container.

Fun Fact: Fred Baur, the guy who invented Pringle‘s tube packing was buried in a Pringle’s Original tube as requested

Fun Fact 2: If you put two Pringles opposite in your mouth you become a duck!

Pringles come in a variety of different flavors including; ●Sour Cream & Onion ● Original Flavor, ● Texas BBQ Sauce ● Hot & Spicy ● Salt & Vinegar ● Ketchup Potato. My personal favorite is Sour Cream & Onion

Ingredients include; Dried Potato● Vegetable Oil (Corn● Cottonseed● High Oleic Soybean And/or Sunflower Oil) Degerminated Yellow Corn Flour● Corn-starch● Rice Flour● Maltrodextrin Mono And Diglycerides● Salt● Wheat Starch.

3. Doritos

Classic tortilla chips brand owned by Frito-Lays a subsidiary of Pepsi Co, Inc. They are flavorful and crunchy, the common flavor options are; Nacho Cheese, Cool Ranch, Spicy Nacho, and Salsa Verde among others.

Doritos are difficult to find in Nairobi, sometimes they are in stock at Chandarana Supermarkets and gift stores especially Monty’s

2C:Others

Oreos

Sandwich cookies owned by Mondelēz International, Inc. First introduced in The US in 1912 and is now the world’s best-selling cookie in 100 plus countries, it netted over 2.5 Billion in revenue in 2018. It is stated that it takes 2hrs to bake one Oreo cookie and over 40 billion cookies are baked annually

Oreos consist of sandwich filling between two individual cookies, different filling flavors have been introduced in addition to the original vanilla creme; chocolate, golden slug, mint, peanut butter, and more. Oreos are not only snacked on but also widely adopted as an ingredient in milkshakes and desserts.

Oreo Original: Calories: approx 670kJ/100g

Ingredients: unbleached Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour● Niacin● Reduced Iron● Thiamine Mononitrate {Vitamin B1}● Riboflavin {Vitamin B2}● Folic Acid)● Sugar● Palm And/Or Canola Oil● Cocoa (Processed With Alkali)● High Fructose Corn Syrup● Leavening (Baking Soda And/Or Calcium Phosphate)● Salt● Soy Lecithin● Chocolate● Artificial Flavor.