Twiga Acquires Majority Stake In 3 FMCG Distributors

Twiga Holdings, the parent company of Kenya’s B2B eCommerce platform Twiga Foods, has announced the acquisition of a majority stake in three regional FMCG distributors, Jumra, Sojpar, and Raisons, in a strategic move to scale its national presence and strengthen its procurement and distribution capabilities.

The three firms, each with regional foothold and established relationships with global and local FMCG brands, operate in Nairobi and Central (Jumra), Western Kenya (Sojpar), and the Coast (Raisons). Through this acquisition, Twiga aims to enhance its upcountry operations, leverage institutional capital for accelerated growth, and digitalize the general trade ecosystem serving mini-marts, kiosks, dukas, and mama mbogas.

“This transaction represents a pivotal moment in our journey,” said Charles Ballard, CEO of Twiga. “It not only concludes our transformation but also inaugurates a new period of sustainable growth, innovation, and unparalleled customer service.”

Twiga’s leadership emphasized that the integration will enable these distributors to access Twiga’s advanced technology, digital ordering platforms, inventory management tools, and buy-now-pay-later solutions, helping them deliver more value to their customers. In turn, Twiga will tap into the warehousing, fleet, and localized knowledge of its new partners to drive cost-efficient national scale-up, starting with a return to Western Kenya, where Twiga previously saw notable success.

Raju Shah and Bijal Shah of Jumra and Sunil Shah of Sojpar will continue leading operations in their respective regions, ensuring continuity and deepening Twiga’s local reach. “Twiga’s investment unlocks exciting new opportunities for Jumra,” said Raju Shah. “Their technology and market reach will help us grow our channels, expand our offerings, and better serve our clients.”

The acquisition is part of Twiga’s broader transformation strategy, supported by key shareholders Creadev and Juven, who reaffirmed their commitment to building a future-ready African retail ecosystem. Twiga’s new leadership team includes industry veterans such as Paul Bombo (Technology), Ankur Agarwal (Supply Chain), Felix Okumu (Internal Audit), and Ekua Nkyekyer (Finance).

Hein Pretorius, Chairman of Twiga Holdings, praised the collaboration: “We are confident in the combined expertise and dynamic leadership of Charles, Raju, and Sunil. Their generational knowledge of the Kenyan distribution ecosystem and shared vision will position Twiga as the food distribution champion of the region.”

The move comes as Twiga is undergoing internal restructuring that has seen staff laid off and new leadership structure put in place.