Twiga Foods has raised Ksh1 billion investment from the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme.
The investment was co-led by TLcom, a pan-African venture capital (VC) firm with participation from previous investors DOB Equity, 1776, Adolph H.Lundin and Wamda Capital.
Twiga Foods is a Kenya-based startup that connects smallholder farmers in rural areas to informal retail vendors in cities. Twiga’s mobile commerce platform enables vendors to order fresh produce for a fair price from farmers across Kenya as and when required.
Read : Twiga Food Becomes Kenya’s First Domestic Company to Test Farmers’ Produce
“The IFC and TLcom investment will enable us to reach more farmers, improve efficiency in service delivery and increase access to high-quality produce and foodstuffs for vendors,” said Grant Brooke, chief executive officer at Twiga Foods.
“We will continue in our mission to provide affordable, quality and safe food to Kenya’s urban consumers and reliable markets for farmers across the country.”
The investment will be used to expand the company’s operations and offer new services.
“Access to markets is a key concern for smallholder farmers across Africa, many of whom live in remote areas,” said Nikunj Jinsi, global head of venture capital at the IFC. “IFC’s investment in Twiga supports a disruptive startup that is helping create a more transparent, efficient supply chain which connects farmers directly to markets, helping them earn more.”
