Uchumi, which was once one of the most important supermarket chains in Kenya, was forced to close 33 of its stores and has been on life support for years. It is now trying to convince suppliers it has a chance …

Kenyan B2B distribution platform Marketforce has acquired Digiduka, another online platform enabling distribution to informal retailers. The move now means there are four large players in Kenya all competing in the online distribution space: Copia, Twiga, Sokowatch and Marketforce. Marketforce …

Kraft Heinz will purchase Assan Foods from Turkish conglomerate Kibar Holding, for approximately $100m. Assan Foods manufactures table sauces and has been a production partner for Kraft Heinz since 2019. Kraft Heinz plans to use Assan Foods to expand its presence …

Glovo expands its Q Commerce service in Kenya with the opening its new micro fulfilment centre in Nairobi – the first of its kind for the company in Africa. The new centre is designed to help fulfil partner products using …

Rubis Energy has formally launched operations in Uganda under the Rubis brand. The move follows its 2019 acquisition of Kobil Uganda and Delta’s assets. Rubis Energy Uganda has a network of 54 service stations nationally. After its 2019 acquisition of Kenya-based …

Twiga Foods, the Kenya-based online distribution platform, has launched a new private label brand. The new brand, SokoYetu, will be used for private label bags of long grain rice sold by the retailer. Twiga’s online store is also called Soko Yetu …

Dubai-based DP World, the ports operator with operations in Senegal, Egypt, Mozambique, Somaliland, Rwanda, Algeria and DRC, has launched a new e-commerce platform in East Africa. The platform, called Dubuy,  allows vendors to connect with buyers in African markets. The delivery …

Carrefour Kenya is being forced to revise supplier contracts after losing an appeal against the Competition Authority of Kenya. The appeal relates to the terms of its supplier contracts, particularly listing fees and supplier rebates. Majid Al Futtaim (MAF), the Carrefour …

Nigerian market-leading QSR operator Eat’N’Go has entered Kenya after the acquisition of the country’s Domino’s Pizza and Cold Stone Creamery franchises from Om Nom Nom Ltd. It will take over a network of 7 Domino’s stores in Kenya and 10 Cold …

Bolt Food has launched in Kenya. The service will go head to head against Jumia Food, Uber Eats and Glovo, offering users access to a selection of restaurants from which to order takeaway food for delivery. Bolt Food has already …

On Tuesday 23rd March, the 400-meter, 224,000-tonne Ever Given container ship ran aground at the south end of the Suez Canal, blocking it completely. As it’s firmly grounded on both banks, efforts to refloat it are underway but it will take time. Some …

Jumia is selling 9m American depositary shares (ADS) in a move to raise more cash. The sale will raise almost $40m. It comes months after the company sold 7m shares to raise $243.2m. Jumia is still losing money and for …

Facebook has announced the launch of Instagram Lite in sub-Saharan Africa. This lightweight version of the Instagram app, which is being rolled out in 170 countries, uses less data and is better suited for lower quality mobile networks. Instagram Lite …

Majid al Futtaim (MAF), the Carrefour franchisee in the Middle East, Egypt and East Africa, has revealed that sales in Kenya rose by 30% in 2020. The year was marked by several new store openings, including taking over Shoprite’s former …