Many consumers live in peri-urban and remote areas and these consumers often face daunting challenges such as limited access to capital and poor infrastructure (road, electricity, internet, data). As a result of these challenges, these consumers are often locked out of the global economy; a challenge that can only be addressed by innovative mobile m-Commerce technologies, like Copia.
Unlike Western e-Commerce platforms, Copia has built a model unique to the African context. Copia is the first and only mobile commerce platform built to serve middle to low-income African consumers, regardless of their income level, access to technology, or location. Copia’s mobile commerce platform combines with a network of more than 35,000 local agents who act as reliable ordering and delivery points, in hard-to-reach areas, where formal retail does not access today.
At Copia, we aim to be part of the solution to connect millions of consumers to quality, affordable products. Over the last seven years, we have completed over five million deliveries and served over one million customers in Kenya. On 21st May 2021, Maryanne Kamau, a customer in the outskirts of Nairobi, ordered a pack of tissue paper through a Copia agent. A simple transaction made her our one-millionth customer. In celebration of the milestone, Copia handed over a cheque for Sh.40,000 to Maryanne Kamau. Proceeds will go towards paying school fees for Maryanne’s son, Dennis Kamau, a first-year student at Kenyatta University.
But our journey does not stop here. We plan to accelerate our customer footprint in Nakuru and Machakos and launch our operations in Uasin Gishu before the end of the year. Last month, we also announced that we have expanded our service area beyond Kenya to include consumers in Uganda. The expansion into Uganda will see Copia customers benefit from a wide range of high quality and affordable products including food items such as sugar and cooking oil, household products, personal care, farming, electronics and construction materials among many other products.
In 2020, Copia tripled its business and is on the path to doubling its business in 2021. By expanding Copia’s mobile commerce platform and logistics network across other regions of Africa over the coming years, we aim to continue transforming low and middle-income Africans into empowered global consumers through Copia’s service offerings.
