Estonia’s Ambassador to Kenya, Daniel Erik Schaer (right), receives the new signature Rush Burger Potato Bun a blend of Estonian precision and Kenyan flavors from Rush Burgers founder Kaspar Jogeva during the Latitude59 conference in Nairobi on Thursday, December 4, 2024.
By Peace Muthoka.
The Latitude59 event began today with a flavourful twist as Estonia’s Rush Burgers made its first public appearance in Kenya. The debut added energy to the opening day and marked a bold new moment in Nairobi’s fast-growing food scene. The brand brings world-class burgers made with Estonian precision and fresh Kenyan ingredients.
Kaspar Jogeva, the founder and general manager of Rush Burgers, shared the story behind the brand. He said the journey began in Estonia ten years ago. It is based on the intellectual property of Turbo Burgers and VLND burger in Estonia – the latter has been nominated among Top5 burger joints in Europe. Kaspar teamed up with the founders of VLND and Turbo Burgers to create a unique brand for the African continent.
Kaspar said the name of VLND made sense only to Estonians, and they couldn’t register Turbo as a trademark locally, so the team created a new brand for the African market. The original philosophy stayed the same. They chose to keep a short menu with four burgers, fries and drinks. He said they value quality more than long lists. The team spent a decade refining burgers and fries, so they know exactly how to deliver speed, flavour and consistency every time.
He explained how their cooking method gives them a major advantage. The team prepares a full burger in two minutes and thirty seconds. That speed helps them deliver meals within 15 to 30 minutes in Kilimani, Kileleshwa and Lavington. Kaspar said this matches the lifestyle of the professionals who live in these neighbourhoods and want quick service without losing quality.
He also spoke about a trend he noticed in Nairobi. Many restaurants offer meals on one menu.
He asked how chefs can master all those dishes. He said most chefs can cook only 10 to 15 of them well, so the rest end up average. Rush takes a different path. The brand follows strict internal procedures sharpened for ten years in Estonia. Kaspar said this allows them to deliver the same taste every single day.
Their first Kenyan store sits in the heart of Kilimani. He said the location gives them a strategic edge for fast delivery. Bolt Food agreed to list Rush with a 20 percent discount for the first month. He added that the pricing fills a gap in Nairobi. He said burgers in the city cost too much, yet the quality often fails to match the price. Rush wants to fix that. A burger costs KSh900 and the full meal with fries goes for KSh1,200, including delivery. Some promotions may push the price below KSh1,000.
Kaspar said his choice to enter Kenya came from his own experience in East Africa. He lived in Uganda and visited Nairobi several times. He loved the diversity of the city’s food culture. Still, he felt that the burger and fries segment needed a fresh spark. He believed Nairobi deserved a global-standard product at a fair price, and that belief shaped the move to create the brand of Rush for Kenya based on the intellectual property of VLND and Turbo Burgers.
Latitude59 guests are now getting the first taste of Rush during the soft launch. The brand is showcasing its signature potato-bun burgers before opening its Timau Plaza store in Kilimani this week. Earlier this year, a Kenyan business delegation visited Turbo Burgers in Estonia. That visit created an unexpected bond between the two countries through food.
Rush now builds on that connection. The team mixes Estonian precision with Kenyan potatoes and fresh local ingredients. They want to highlight the quality of Kenyan produce while introducing a globally inspired burger experience. Kaspar said the launch represents more than business. It is a cultural exchange built on flavour, creativity and Nairobi’s unique energy.
Rush also plans to integrate into the city’s arts, lifestyle and cultural spaces. The team wants the brand to feel local even though the idea began far away in Estonia. With Latitude59 opening today, Rush Burgers added excitement, colour and taste to the event. The brand steps into Nairobi with confidence and a clear promise to elevate how the city enjoys burgers.
