Unilever engineers have created a prototype nano factory capable of fitting in a 40ft container. The prototype can take raw materials, process them, package and label them. It is currently being trialed in the Netherlands, producing liquid bouillon. Unilever says …

The boycott of French goods by consumers in Muslim countries has reached Egypt, a key market for French supermarket chain Carrefour, as well as several major French FMCG brands including Danone and L’Oréal. We think there is a risk the …

Jumia is opening up its logistics network to third party businesses in 11 countries. The move means the internet retailer will offer its platform and network, enabling companies to use its final mile delivery capabilities. Prior to the announcement, Jumia …

Shoprite has confirmed it will close its two remaining stores in Kenya, in an otherwise impressive set of annual results that have seen group sales increase by 6.4% to R156.9bn ($9.32bn) in the 52 weeks to 28th June 2020. There is …

Egyptian cheese producer Domty and FrieslandCampina have signed an MoU to explore joint business opportunities in Africa. The companies plan to collaborate to export cheese to other African countries. Domty was founded in 1988 in Egypt. It is a leader in the Egyptian …

Angolan supermarket chain Candando, owned by businesswoman Isabel dos Santos, is on the verge of bankruptcy. It will close half its six stores and lay off around 1,000 employees. The freezing of its bank accounts in Portugal have left the …

DHL Express has taken a minority stake in Link Commerce, the UK-based e-commerce platform that sits beneath MallforAfrica.com and DHL’s Africa eShop service. DHL is betting on a fundamental change in purchasing behaviours in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which …

At Trendtype we have decided to put our thoughts down on paper, as it were. Headline: there are lots of reasons to believe that African countries may emerge from COVID-19 in better (or less worse) shape than developed economies in …

The problem is retail development rankings are useless. Worse than useless, actually. We explain why we don’t trust AT Kearney’s Global Retail Development Index when it comes to Africa. A few years ago we wanted to build a retail market …

So here are our big themes in 2019 and a look ahead to 2020. It’s been another eventful year in African consumer and retail markets in 2019. Some big retail players coming unstuck In grocery retail, some big players have come …

Spanish fashion retailer Mango has opened a new store in one of Luanda’s prime shopping malls, Avennida Morro Bento. Just one year after exiting Morocco, Mango is also in discussions to build a store network in the country with Nike …

Nampak, Africa’s largest packaging company, has incurred fx losses of R2bn ($135.6m) for the financial year ended 30th September 2019. Nampak has faced a double whammy of hyperinflation in Zimbabwe and the devaluation of the Angolan kwanza. It has also faced …

Peer to peer farmer network and marketplace WeFarm has raised $13m in Series A round of funding. The round was led by True Ventures, with AgFunder and June Fund also investing. It means WeFarm has raised a total of $20m to …