Twiga Foods is a Kenya B2B platform connecting smallholder farmers and urban retailers. Launched 2014, raised 100M$+ with Goldman Sachs, IFC. Model: short agri supply chain + mobile tech. 17K+ farmers, 8K+ vendors connected.
TL;DR
- Twiga Foods: B2B marketplace farmers ↔ retailers Kenya.
- 17K+ farmers, 8K+ vendors connected.
- Model: short agri supply chain.
- 100M$+ funding Goldman Sachs, IFC.
The problem
Kenya informal retail (mama mboga, kiosks, mini-supermarkets) suffered:
- Sourcing from fragmented Nairobi wholesalers (Marikiti, Wakulima)
- High prices (multiple intermediate margins)
- Variable quality
- Nonexistent cold chain (30-50% post-harvest losses)
Smallholders suffered:
- No direct urban market access
- Very low prices (intermediaries capture value)
- No credit access
The Twiga solution
B2B model
Twiga:
- Buys directly from smallholders (banana, tomato, onion, potatoes)
- Aggregates in regional warehouses
- Own logistics to urban retailers
- Retailer app for orders
- Mobile money payments
- Retailer credit (short-term)
Tech stack
- Retailer app: Android, USSD fallback
- Routing optimization: Google Maps + AI
- WMS: warehouse management
- AI forecasting: predict demand / sourcing
- Cold chain: refrigerated truck pilot
Results
- 17K+ farmers sourced
- 8K+ retailers clients
- 40% post-harvest losses reduced vs traditional
- 20-30% farmer price improvement
- Improved logistics Kenya cities
2023-2024 pivot
Twiga made a strategic pivot:
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
- Scope reduction (focus key products)
- 30%+ layoffs (profitability race)
- Focus on positive unit economics
- Less expansion, more efficiency
2026 stats
- ~10K+ active retailers (vs 15K+ peak)
- Revenue ~$100-200M
- 2025-2026 profitability path
- IPO listing: shelved, sustainability focus
Similar players
Kenya
- Wasoko (cf T9/1) — FMCG focus
- Marketforce — closed 2024
- Sokowatch = Wasoko pre-rebrand
Continental
- TradeDepot (Nigeria) — FMCG
- OmniRetail (Nigeria) — FMCG
- Khusool (Egypt) — agri-fresh focus
- Robust International (multi-Africa)
Similar builder use cases
- Africa cold chain: 100%+ growth for well-managed (cf S2/5)
- Smallholders aggregation verticals (cocoa, coffee, others cf T8)
- Last-mile logistics: SokoCare (Nairobi), Sendy
- Quality control: Africa-native labs premium markets
FAQ
Q: Did Twiga pivot work?
A: Mixed. Hard layoffs but improved unit economics. Core products focus = good discipline.
Q: Similar vertical opportunities?
A: Pharmacy (mPharma), agri-inputs (Apollo), building materials (BuildIt, cf R13), restaurant supply, cosmetics.
Conclusion
2026 Twiga Foods: B2B Kenya farmers↔retailers marketplace pioneer. 17K+ farmers, 8K+ vendors. 2023-2024 pivot prioritizes profitability over growth. For builders, Africa-specific verticals (agri-fresh, pharma, materials) + last-mile + cold chain + smallholders aggregation = Twiga-inspired roadmap.
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.
