Her Story
About Grace
I founded Kuroga Group in 2020, where I serve as founder and director of global strategy and market expansion. We operate in the food preservation systems space, using freeze-dried technology to preserve fruit, vegetables, and eventually nutraceuticals. The company is based in East Africa, Uganda. I've been in my field for 16 years, and I've always been a person that loves to build and contribute to society. I didn't start off in the food industry. I had an upholstery company and interior decor business before moving into food and beverage with hot beverage vending machines, which I still operate through Brighthood beverage building services and catering services. Now I'm fully focused on industrial food processing and food systems. One of my most notable achievements was introducing convenience in the sense of hot beverage vending to our country, because in our culture, we don't eat on the go or eat while standing, so I literally shifted a whole entire culture. In 2019, I was recognized as one of the 40 under 40 influential women in my country, and I moved to SME level when I crossed over to the 100 employees mark. I now operate in about 7 countries in the Great Lakes region including Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Congo, South Sudan, Rwanda, and Burundi, and I'm a power shifter in my space within the region. I'm now expanding into the US, Japan, Middle East, Europe, and Asia. My greatest strength is strategy and markets, particularly consumer psychology. Before owning my own companies, I was employed in South Sudan in a post-war environment as an administrator to an Italian boss whose company had the contract to rehabilitate roads. That experience taught me stakeholder engagement, how power moves, negotiation skills, and how to navigate complex environments. I've been employing myself since around 2009 or 2010. I look at myself as a steward here to serve as an extension of human beings, and I'm deeply passionate about food systems, food security, and food waste.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Grace
01What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
First of all, what I would say to her is, first of all, what does she want? What does she like? What are her strengths? She has to first be aware of who she is first. Because as a woman, it's very important to know who you are first before you can consider providing a solution, consider spreading your wings, consider speaking to someone, because from the beginning, you're disadvantaged. So if you know who you are first and foremost, then you're able to know that you're going to go into arenas that you're not going to be welcomed, and you have to fight first test, and you have to prove your worth. But all of that, in the grand scheme of things, does not matter if you know who you are. Because that is what, at least for me, I've dealt with most, is to be accepted or to even think that you have anything of value to offer. And it doesn't matter how qualified you are, you're a woman. So if you know and are aware first of all, because you're going to waste a lot of time being set back if you don't know who you are. And then your gifting, you'll not be able to be a good steward. So it has to start with you.
02What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I look at myself as a steward. I'm here to serve. I'm here as an extension of human being, and any other human being. And that is how I look at myself. I've always been a person that loves to build and contribute to society, whatever society I'm in. What is important to me would be to meet like-minded people on such journeys who are stewards. I'm ready for impact. I'm deeply passionate about food systems, food security, and food waste, and I don't see myself getting out of the food space. It's very important, it is a need.
Keep Exploring
More Influential Women · Maryland
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.