Twiga Foods Targets FMCG Growth Through Strategic Investments and Partnerships
Agritech firm Twiga Foods is pivoting toward becoming a major player in the FMCG sector, following a strategic review that redirects its business model beyond core agricultural distribution. The Kenya-based company has announced fresh investments and partnerships geared toward expanding its footprint in the country’s informal retail economy by offering a wider portfolio of fast-moving consumer goods.
Since its inception, Twiga has focused on streamlining fresh produce distribution by linking farmers directly with vendors. However, according to CEO Peter Njonjo, the company’s future growth lies in broadening access to manufactured consumer goods within underserved retail environments. “We realized that significant demand exists for the products found in formal retail stores but remains unmet in informal markets,” Njonjo said.
To bolster this new direction, Twiga plans to partner with global and regional FMCG manufacturers to distribute their products across its expansive last-mile network. The goal is to offer manufacturing partners a cost-efficient, route-to-market strategy while giving small retailers access to an expanded assortment of goods, including personal care items, packaged foods, and household products.
Twiga has already made significant capital investments in infrastructure to support the shift. Its distribution network now covers more than 18,000 retailers across major urban centers in Kenya, enabled by a proprietary technology platform that facilitates inventory planning, order fulfillment, and real-time data analytics. This infrastructure positions Twiga to help brands penetrate fragmented retail markets with more agility.
The company also plans to launch credit-based purchasing solutions for retailers, aiming to remove liquidity barriers that often limit stock variety in informal shops. Twiga will leverage data-driven insights to assess creditworthiness and streamline extension of working capital.
Twiga’s move underscores a broader trend among African tech-enabled distributors looking to plug persistent supply chain gaps. As formal retail channels remain underdeveloped, particularly outside major cities, digitally enabled wholesalers like Twiga are increasingly central to FMCG growth strategies across the continent.
For FMCG players seeking scalable routes into Africa’s fragmented retail landscape, partnerships with platforms like Twiga offer a high-impact distribution model blending tech infrastructure, logistics, and market proximity.