Former Jumia bosses have come together to unveil a new e-commerce platform dubbed, Kapu.
The e-commerce platform which seeks to help consumers cut spending on day-to-day groceries was formally launched on Monday, December 5.
Kapu allows consumers to buy products from the platform in quantities they want with deliveries made free of charge.
Deliveries can be collected at Kapu Agent collection center near their homes.
“We think it’s unfair that consumers in Kenya spend 40 per cent of their income on food, when Americans spend 6 per cent
“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,” Kapu CEO Sam Chappatte and former Jumia Group executive vice president said.
According to Chappatte, the platform will sell variety of products including locally sourced fresh produce directly from farms.
“By working with existing community groups and local entrepreneurs, we believe we can play a part in reducing the costs of goods, and unlocking opportunities for millions of people,” he said.
Consumers can order with their local Kapu agent even as the e-commerce seeks to accept orders via WhatsApp soon.
Orders placed before 9 PM are delivered the next day for free to a local Agent.
Customers who want to try the service can dial 7898# to register and get 50 KES cash back on their first order.
Kapu says it has 1,500 agent collection centers across Nairobi, and will, in its next phase of growth, work to fully penetrate Kenya’s capital before expanding to new markets.
Kapu’s agents, usually positioned within residential areas, takes customers’ orders, and makes deliveries the next day.
“Customers receive a notification from Kapu and also from the agents, to go pick up their goods. Many agents also deliver to consumers’ homes,” said Chappate.
Kapu joins the growing list of startups that are digitizing the informal retail sector in Kenya, including Tushop, which launched last year.