E-commerce platform Copia has been doing very well in recent months. At the start of the year, it raised more than KES 5 billion, which it said would help it expand to other markets, including Nigeria and Ghana. Just the other day, it also revealed the opening of a manufacturing facility in Kenya that produces Copia-branded rice and sugar at reduced prices.
Now, Copia, which serves the middle- to low-income African consumer market has also announced that it has received a Global Award as it expands its turf in the agricultural ecosystem in Kenya.
Dubbed the Direct-to-Consumer Service of the Year Award, the prize features Copia as the winner of AgTech Breakthrough Awards for 2022. The show recognizes the world’s best agricultural and food technology companies, products, and services. Copia was recognized for its innovative approach to providing solutions to farmers in Kenya via its established e-Commerce business.
The company has also received official certification from the Kenya Veterinary Board (KVB) that will enable it to offer a wider array of services to the growing number of its customers engaged in the agricultural sector.
Agriculture currently contributes to over 33% of Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and adds an additional 27% of GDP indirectly through linkages with other sectors.
Launched earlier this year, Copia’s Farming Division builds on the insight that the agricultural sector is currently underserved in the supply of farming inputs and services.
“The agricultural sector plays a pivotal role in Kenya’s economy and forms a critical element for national food security,” said Tim Steel, CEO, Copia Global. “Based on the fact that over 90% of our customers are engaged in agricultural activity, we believe that enabling enhanced access to farming inputs aligns very closely with Copia’s mission to ensure that we are making lives easier every day for our customers.”
Copia operates in-house technology to offer logistics services, both for offline and online customers. It delivers products to all locations in the markets it operates in, even those without physical addresses.