Verod-Kepple Africa Ventures (“VKAV”) has made a significant investment of US$1.5 million in Chari, a B2B e-commerce company based in Morocco. The investment aims to support Chari’s growth plan and drive the transformation of the informal retail sector, while also fostering economic growth in the region. In addition to the financial investment, Ryosuke (Rio) Yamawaki, a Partner at VKAV, has been appointed as a Strategic Advisor to Chari, solidifying VKAV’s commitment to the company’s success.
Chari operates in Morocco, where a substantial portion of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) trade takes place through informal retail shops. These informal shops currently account for over 80% of the total FMCG trade in the country. However, these establishments face operational challenges due to inefficiencies caused by multiple intermediaries, a lack of digitization, and limited access to trade finance. Chari has emerged as a game-changer in this space by revolutionizing the operations of informal retail shops, providing essential goods and services more affordably and efficiently.
Why the Investor Invested
The investment by VKAV in Chari is driven by several key factors. Firstly, the informal retail sector in Morocco, like many other African countries, represents a significant portion of the FMCG trade. By investing in Chari, VKAV recognizes the immense potential for growth and transformation within this sector. The investment aims to address the operational inefficiencies faced by informal retail shops, ultimately driving economic growth and improving livelihoods.
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Secondly, Chari’s innovative approach to leveraging technology to transform the informal retail sector aligns with VKAV’s investment strategy. VKAV focuses on investing in category-defining African start-ups that have the potential to disrupt traditional industries and bring about positive change. Chari’s vision to revitalize the Morocco economy by enhancing its network of retail shops and providing advanced financial solutions resonates with VKAV’s mission.
Furthermore, VKAV’s decision to invest in Chari is influenced by the company’s founders’ expertise and the potential for strategic partnerships. Chari’s CEO and Co-founder, Ismael Belkhayat, expressed excitement about partnering with VKAV and emphasized the value that VKAV’s extensive network across Africa and connections with the Japanese corporate society can bring to Chari’s endeavors. This collaboration opens doors for Chari to leverage VKAV’s network and expertise, enhancing its growth prospects.
A Look at Chari
Chari was founded in Morocco and has positioned itself as a leading B2B e-commerce company in the country. The primary focus of Chari is to transform the operations of informal retail shops, which play a vital role in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) trade. The company leverages technological innovations to address operational inefficiencies and offer essential goods and services more affordably and efficiently.
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Chari’s founders have a deep understanding of the challenges faced by informal retail shops in Morocco and aim to revitalize the country’s economy by providing additional essential services and implementing advanced financial solutions for consumers. By doing so, Chari seeks to enhance the extensive network of retail shops and create a cutting-edge financial services infrastructure for the mass market.
Charles Rapulu Udoh
Charles Rapulu Udoh is a Lagos-based lawyer, who has several years of experience working in Africa’s burgeoning tech startup industry. He has closed multi-million dollar deals bordering on venture capital, private equity, intellectual property (trademark, patent or design, etc.), mergers and acquisitions, in countries such as in the Delaware, New York, UK, Singapore, British Virgin Islands, South Africa, Nigeria etc. He’s also a corporate governance and cross-border data privacy and tax expert.
As an award-winning writer and researcher, he is passionate about telling the African startup story, and is one of the continent’s pioneers in this regard