Which Citrus Wheel Do Nairobi Bars Order Most? A Wholesale Buyer's Guide

We supply citrus wheels to bars, hotels, and cafes across Nairobi, and one question comes up in nearly every first order: which variety to stock, and how much of each. Here's the pattern we actually see.

Orange leads for a reason

Orange wheels are the most ordered variety by a clear margin, mostly because they work across the widest range of drinks: whisky, rum, brandy, and most classic cocktails. If a venue is placing a first order and wants to start with one variety before expanding, orange is almost always the right call.

Lemon is the close second

Lemon wheels come next, driven mostly by gin and vodka-based menus and by non-alcoholic drinks. Venues running a strong mocktail or sparkling water offering tend to order lemon at a similar volume to orange, sometimes ahead of it.

Lime and grapefruit are menu-specific

Lime and grapefruit wheels see less consistent volume across venues generally, but far higher volume at venues where they matter: a gin-focused bar leans heavily on grapefruit for negronis and palomas, and a venue running a strong mocktail or sparkling program orders lime specifically for that. These two are worth stocking based on your own menu rather than defaulting to what's popular elsewhere.

What a typical first order looks like

For a venue testing the range before committing to a standing account, we usually see an order weighted toward orange and lemon, with a smaller trial quantity of lime and grapefruit to see how they move against the menu. Our wholesale minimums start at 5kg per variety, which is enough to run a real trial without over-committing to a variety that doesn't end up moving.

When reorder patterns shift

Once a venue has a few months of data on its own bar, the pattern often shifts away from the general trend above toward whatever fits that specific menu. A rum-focused bar will keep leaning on orange long term; a gin bar tends to increase its grapefruit and lime order size relative to orange the longer it runs the range.

Ordering for a seasonal menu

If you're planning a seasonal cocktail list, order the citrus wheel that matches the spirits on that list rather than the general popularity order above. A citrus wheel that doesn't fit the drinks on the menu won't move regardless of how well it sells elsewhere.

Starting small and scaling up

The 5kg-per-variety minimum is deliberately low enough that a venue can trial one or two varieties without committing to a full standing account straight away. If a variety earns its place on the bar, increasing that order on the next round is simpler than the first order was, since we already have your delivery details and preferences on file.

For delivery timelines and how to set up a standing account, see our guide for bars and hotels.