KENYA – Copia Global, a fast-growing ecommerce platform, has expanded its private label offering with launch of new manufacturing unit that will enhance its output of affordable sugar and rice to the Kenyan market.
The new machine is the second of such unit that Copia operates and will double the supply of its own branded sugar and rice.
The B2C commerce outfit has been operating its private label business line since 2016 and has secured all requisite regulatory approvals to provide the packaged goods, including accreditation from the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS).
Currently the company offers two types of rice (biriyani and long grain) as well as granulated sugar in packs of 500 grams and 1 kilogram.
These foods are sourced from responsible local suppliers, who are continuously vetted for quality by the company.
“Our new unit enables us to tap into the growing demand for quality goods at affordable rates. We are deepening our investments in line with consumer insights which indicate that lower cost, non-label goods are required in the market.
“By working with our partners and leveraging the efficiencies brought about by the new machine, we shall be able to double our current output in line with our purpose: Making Living Easier – Everyday,” said Tim Steel, CEO, Copia Global.
Investment in the new facility is aimed to enhance availability of the goods and reduce the current dependency on market supply.
“Our ability to meet the rising demand for affordable goods in the market is what will give us the ability to create a sustainable and relevant e-commerce business.
“We are deploying this machine in response to the increasing demand from the market – the new machine will let us anticipate and meet the order inflows more efficiently,” said Ken Karoki, Vice President – Supply Chain, Copia Kenya.
Other than Copia, B2B technology food distribution platform, Twiga Foods has also tapped into the private label consumer goods market launching its own branded products in 2021 under the brand name SokoYetu.
Beyond production and distribution of the two consumer goods, Copia offers over 4,000 products to the Kenyan and Ugandan markets, with its ambition being to provide quality products at the lowest market prices delivered at no charge to the consumer.
To date, the company has fulfilled more than 13 million orders in Kenya and Uganda through a network of over 38,000 Agents, many of whom are small shopkeepers serving as order and delivery points.
Founded in 2013 by Silicon Valley veterans Tracey Turner and Jonathan Lewis, Copia is backed by giant international investors such as Zebu Investment Partners, the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), Koa Labs, Lightrock, German development finance institution DEG, and Perivoli Innovations.
The company raised US$50 million in a Series C equity round coming three years after its US$26m Series B round and US$7.5m in Series A.
Copia Global was recently listed in the Financial Times as one of Africa’s fastest-growing companies in 2022 due to its unique approach to e-commerce.
The highly prestigious list highlights Africa’s innovation, leadership, and talent across all business sectors, in particular technology. Copia is the only startup on the list in the e-commerce category.
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