The verdict in three sentences
An online ordering portal for a beverage distributor is a mid-complexity custom application, which Kolonell prices at 4,000,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA (6,100 to 10,670 EUR) depending on the number of outlets and integrations. The core of the project rests on four features: mobile ordering by the outlet manager, deposit management (crates and bottles), delivery route planning and tracking of customer credit. Allow 12 to 14 weeks, with a pilot on 50 to 100 outlets before full rollout.
Why the phone costs more than it seems
In Brazzaville, Kinshasa, Nairobi or Kampala, a distributor serving 400 to 2,000 outlets receives most orders by call or voice message. Each order is re-typed by an operator, often in a spreadsheet, then passed to the warehouse. Mistakes add up: wrong size (33 cl instead of 65 cl), empty crates not counted, delivery to a customer who has exceeded their credit limit.
The portal gives the bar or shop manager a simple app that runs on an entry-level Android phone over an unstable 3G connection: catalog with today's prices, cart, one-tap repeat of the last order, deposit balance and outstanding credit visible.
| Feature | What it fixes | Share of budget |
|---|---|---|
| Catalog and prices per customer category | Bar, hotel, wholesaler prices | 10 to 15% |
| Offline mobile ordering | Orders captured without signal, sent when network returns | 15 to 20% |
| Deposit management | Crates and bottles out, returned, owed | 10 to 15% |
| Credit and credit limit | Block or alert above the limit | 10 to 15% |
| Delivery routes | Grouping by zone, stop order, delivery note | 15 to 20% |
| Mobile money payment (MTN MoMo, Airtel Money, M-Pesa) | Collection at order or delivery | 10 to 15% |
| Sales dashboard | Sales by zone, product, sales rep | 10% |
What the portal costs by network size
The prices below follow Kolonell's 2026 custom application grid. A project limited to ordering and catalog can stay in the simple tier; once deposits, credit and routes come in, it moves to mid complexity.
| Scope | Outlets | Kolonell 2026 price | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ordering and catalog only | Up to 400 | 2,500,000 to 4,000,000 FCFA (3,810 to 6,100 EUR) | 8 to 10 weeks |
| Ordering, deposits and credit | 400 to 1,000 | 4,000,000 to 5,500,000 FCFA (6,100 to 8,380 EUR) | 12 weeks |
| Full portal with routes and mobile money | 1,000 to 2,000 | 5,500,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA (8,380 to 10,670 EUR) | 13 to 14 weeks |
| ERP integration, multi-depot, driver app | Over 2,000 | 7,000,000 to 15,000,000+ FCFA (10,670 to 22,870+ EUR) | 16+ weeks |
| Standard maintenance | All | 75,000 FCFA per month (110 EUR) | Ongoing |
| Premium maintenance | All | 120,000 FCFA per month (180 EUR) | Ongoing |
On top of that come hosting (25,000 to 75,000 FCFA per month depending on volume) and mobile money operator fees, roughly 1 to 2% per transaction depending on negotiated contracts.
Deposits: the module not to underestimate
For a beer and soft drink distributor, returnable glass is a major asset. A 12-bottle crate can carry several thousand FCFA in deposit value. The portal must track, for each customer, the crates and bottles out, returned and owed, and add or deduct them automatically on every delivery. The driver records returns on a phone, the balance updates, and the manager sees it in the app. Without this module, the portal recreates the problem it was meant to solve.
Mini case study
Mr. Okemba is sales director of a beverage distributor in Brazzaville (illustrative persona). He serves 900 outlets, receives 350 phone orders a day and employs 5 order-entry operators at 180,000 FCFA fully loaded, so 900,000 FCFA per month. Order and deposit errors cost him, by his own records, about 1% of monthly revenue of 300,000,000 FCFA, or 3,000,000 FCFA.
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He invests 5,200,000 FCFA in a portal with deposits and credit, plus 75,000 FCFA of maintenance and 50,000 FCFA of hosting per month. If 60% of outlets order online after 6 months, he reassigns 3 operators to sales follow-up and halves errors: 1,500,000 FCFA recovered per month on errors. The project pays back in under 4 months after adoption, before counting the sales gain from the reassigned operators.
FAQ
Will bar managers really order through an app?
Adoption has to be built: expect 30 to 40% of orders online by month three and 60% by month six if sales reps support the launch. A 1% discount on online orders for 2 months often speeds up the switch.
Does the app work offline?
Yes, offline mode is part of the scope: the order is saved on the phone and sent as soon as the network returns. The app weighs under 15 MB to stay light on entry-level smartphones.
Can we collect via MTN MoMo, Airtel Money or M-Pesa?
Yes, operators are integrated through their merchant APIs or an aggregator. Fees stay around 1 to 2% per transaction, negotiable by volume.
Does the portal replace our management software?
No, it connects to it. If your ERP exposes an API or export, integration adds 1,000,000 to 3,000,000 FCFA depending on the software; otherwise a daily file exchange is enough to start.
What does maintenance include?
Standard maintenance at 75,000 FCFA per month covers security updates, monitoring and fixes. Premium at 120,000 FCFA adds minor improvements and priority response time.
Let's scope your project. Send us your number of outlets, returnable products and current software: we price the portal in the 4 to 7 M FCFA range, with a pilot and a 12 to 14 week schedule. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
