KENYA · GUIDE 0869 · EDITION 4.2
Ceramic mug making in Kenya: Risks and Launch Plan
Set the conditions for a safe commercial test
- unsafe glaze
- firing rejects
An appealing unfired shape may produce inconsistent handles or glaze defects after firing, so accepting orders from an unfinished sample can undermine delivery promises substantially.
A risk list is useful only when it changes a decision. For each risk, write the observable warning, who checks it and the response before the next commitment. Do not treat a reserve of money as permission to continue unsafe or unauthorized work.
Use a small, measurable pilot
Make a test batch through competent firing and food-contact checks
The pilot scope is: Define mugs by usable capacity, handle comfort, surface finish, and intended food contact, arranging competent verification rather than assuming decorative ceramic materials suit drinking vessels.
| Gate | Evidence before continuing |
|---|---|
| Scope agreed | Define mugs by usable capacity, handle comfort, surface finish, and intended food contact, arranging competent verification rather than assuming decorative ceramic materials suit drinking vessels. |
| Output acceptable | Inspect complete fired samples for cracks, handle attachment, stability, and glaze defects, using appropriate verified requirements before accepting claims about food contact or cleaning performance. |
| Costs recorded | Include clay preparation, drying space, kiln allocation, firing losses, glazing, verification, and protective packaging when comparing a custom mug order with repeat standard forms. |
| Buyer response recorded | Keep clay and glaze references, sample dimensions, firing outcomes, defects, competent verification results, packing damage, and user feedback about holding and pouring from the mug. |
Stage the launch around prerequisites
First confirm the buyer specification and activity requirements. Then compare suppliers, establish suitable facilities and prepare the operating record. Run the bounded trial when those prerequisites are in place. Review actual costs, quality failures and cash collected before increasing the commitment.
This sequence is not a promise that the complete business cycle fits into 30 days. Growing periods, qualifications, approvals, seasonal access and customer buying cycles can require longer. Revise the schedule when a prerequisite changes rather than skipping it to meet a launch date.
Choose continue, revise, pause or stop
Continue only when the scoped result is accepted and direct costs and payment timing are workable. Revise one part of the offer if the problem is identifiable and affordable to test again. Pause when required information, permission, skills or resources are missing. Stop the affected work when safety, consent or lawful authority is uncertain.
Keep a maximum test loss and unpaid-balance limit suited to your actual funds. A successful single delivery is useful evidence, but it does not establish year-round demand or justify committing every available resource.
Tie launch milestones to observable checks
| Risk signal | Evidence to inspect | Response to test |
|---|---|---|
| Handle cracks at the join | Inspect moisture timing, attachment method and shrinkage specimens with the potter. | Reject the affected mug and revise the joining/drying process; glaze is not a structural adhesive. |
| Glaze develops pinholes or crazing | Compare application, clay/glaze codes and firing record. | Hold food-use release and have the studio assess compatibility and testing requirements. |
| Mug rocks on the counter | Check the foot and base on a flat reference surface. | Have the studio correct or reject the piece, preserving a safe smooth foot and avoiding unsupported durability claims. |
Outstanding go / hold conditions
- Finished food-contact suitability, testing, shrinkage, capacity and care claims are unverified.
- Requires a competent ceramic studio; no firing recipe or safe-use certification is supplied.
Assign an owner, evidence reference and review date to each unresolved condition. Do not give every milestone a fixed calendar date when it depends on a crop, production, approval or competence cycle. Run only a suitable limited trial, reconcile accepted output and actual cash, and record whether the evidence supports holding, revising, proceeding within the limit or stopping.