About Ishmar
48 expos, one mission: growing Kenyan business
We are the team behind the exhibitions, conferences and trade fairs that connect entrepreneurs, SMEs, investors and government institutions across Nairobi and Mombasa, and open access to the growing Halal economy.
Our story
Started in Nairobi, built for Kenyan business
Ishmar Halal Traders Expo Limited was registered in Nairobi in 2013 by a small group of traders who saw how much business Kenyan SMEs were losing simply because they had nowhere credible to meet buyers, investors and partners face to face. Our first expo, held in 2014, brought together a modest group of exhibitors and a few hundred visitors.
What changed things was simple: we treated exhibitors as our real customers, not just the visitors passing through. We built our processes around helping a food producer from Nairobi close a deal with a distributor from Mombasa, and word travelled fast.
Forty-eight expos later, Ishmar is a trusted exhibition and business networking platform operating in Nairobi and Mombasa, running trade fairs, corporate conferences, business expos and networking forums that connect entrepreneurs, SMEs, manufacturers, investors, government institutions, development organizations and international buyers.
Our vision
To become Africa's leading organizer of exhibitions, trade fairs, business networking events and Halal business platforms, connecting African businesses with regional and international markets.
Our mission
To create professional exhibition platforms that promote trade, investment, innovation, entrepreneurship and networking, while supporting sustainable business growth and access to the global Halal economy.
What guides us
Our core values
Professionalism
From floor plans to follow-up, every part of an Ishmar event is run to a standard exhibitors and buyers can rely on.
Integrity
Every exhibitor and every claim on our floor is verified before the doors open. Trust is the product we sell.
Innovation
We keep improving how exhibitors, buyers and investors find each other, from floor design to matchmaking.
Inclusivity
We build platforms that work for businesses of every size, with particular support for SMEs, women-led enterprises, youth entrepreneurs and ethical businesses.
Collaboration
We work alongside government institutions, development organizations and corporate partners to open doors our exhibitors couldn't open alone.
Excellence
Halls open on time, floor plans are accurate, and logistics are handled before exhibitors have to ask.
Customer focus
We measure success in deals signed and partnerships formed, not just badges scanned at the door.
Sustainable business growth
We design for long-term outcomes, exhibitors and partners who keep coming back because the platform keeps working for them.
Our journey
Milestones
Ishmar Halal Traders Expo Limited is registered in Nairobi by a small group of founding partners from the trade sector.
Our first expo opens in Nairobi, connecting local exhibitors with early buyers and setting the format we still use today.
Ishmar expands into Mombasa, bringing coastal SMEs and exporters into the same trade and networking platform.
The expo adds a hybrid format, keeping exhibitors and buyers connected through a difficult trading period.
Ishmar launches the Halal Investment Summit as a standalone conference, opening a dedicated channel between SMEs and investors.
Ishmar successfully delivers its 48th expo, cementing its position as East Africa's trusted exhibition and business networking platform.
Meet the team
Leadership
A small team with a long track record in trade, logistics and finance.
What makes us different
A growth platform, not just an event organizer
Ishmar is more than an exhibition company. We connect entrepreneurs, SMEs, manufacturers, investors, government institutions, development organizations and international buyers, with particular support for SMEs, women-led enterprises, youth entrepreneurs and ethical businesses looking to reach new markets.
We currently operate in Nairobi and Mombasa, with a clear vision to become East Africa's leading exhibition and business networking company.
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