Former Jumia executive Sam Chappate has introduced Kapu, a new e-commerce platform that aims to make it easier for customers to find basic essentials in large quantities and at affordable prices.
Kapu Chief Executive Officer Sam Chappatte, who previously led Jumia Kenya, stated that consumers will benefit from lower pricing by getting items directly from farms and manufacturers via the platform.
“We think it’s unfair that consumers in Kenya spend 40 percent of their income on food when Americans spend 6 percent. This is a huge blocker to social mobility. Our goal at Kapu is to build the most relevant model of e-commerce for the majority of urban consumers in Africa,” said Kapu CEO Sam Chappatte.
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According to the CEO, the firm is currently growing the number of regional representatives with whom customers may place purchases. Soon, WhatsApp orders will be supported as well.
According to Kapu, the offline channel (via agents) and online direct-to-consumer (via WhatsApp) models were created to be suitable for the Kenyan market, where social commerce is displaying promise, but e-commerce has not yet taken off.
Kapu, which facilitates group bulk grocery purchases by sourcing directly from growers and manufacturers, claims to help consumers save 30% on the cost of fresh produce and packaged items.
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Kapu also aims to develop a low-cost logistics approach that would ensure minimal food waste by ensuring supplies are made within 24 hours to a Kapu Agent collecting center near buyers’ houses.
Customers who wish to test out the service can register and receive KSh50 cash back on their first order by dialing *789*8#. After registering, they can place an order with a local KAPU-branded agent.
Kapu has joined the growing group of businesses, such as Tushop, which debuted a year ago, that are digitizing Kenya’s unorganized retail market. Through agents and WhatsApp, Kapu and Tushop both support group food supply purchases.
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