East Africa Fruits
Founded
2013 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania — East Africa Fruits (EAF) was created to streamline the farm‑to‑market supply chain for smallholder farmers by reducing post‑harvest losses, improving produce quality, and connecting farmers directly to buyers without excessive intermediaries, thus increasing returns to farmers and lowering costs for vendors.
Founders & Leadership
Elia Timotheo — Founder & CEO (social entrepreneur with experience in Tanzania’s agricultural value chains).
Location
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania — with operations focused on collection, processing, cold‑chain logistics, and distribution networks that serve farmers and market vendors throughout the country.
Industry
Agriculture / Agri‑Tech / Supply Chain / Social Enterprise — dedicated to transforming agricultural distribution systems, reducing waste, and improving market access for smallholder farmers.
Funding Stage
Series A (Growth Stage) — East Africa Fruits closed a Series A round in 2020, raising approximately USD 2.05 million in equity led by Goodwell Investments alongside FINCA Ventures and elea, with total equity and debt capital reported around US$3.1 million to scale critical farm‑to‑market infrastructure.
Overview
East Africa Fruits is a Tanzanian social enterprise disrupting traditional, inefficient farm‑to‑market supply chains by aggregating produce directly from smallholder farmers, providing agronomic support to increase yields, and leveraging cold chain logistics to reduce post‑harvest losses. By cutting out multiple middlemen, EAF enables farmers to capture more value from their harvests while delivering higher quality produce to informal market vendors, hotels, restaurants, and supermarkets.
Core Features & Capabilities
Direct Farm Collection & Logistics: Implements produce collection centers and refrigerated transport to preserve quality and reduce spoilage before reaching market.
Cold Chain Infrastructure: Uses refrigerated trucks and warehouses to extend shelf life and reduce post‑harvest losses.
Agronomic Support & Training: Provides technical assistance throughout the growing season to help smallholders increase yields and produce higher‑quality crops.
Market Linkages: Connects farmers directly with informal vendors, formal buyers, restaurants, and supermarkets, offering fair pricing and reliable supply.
Fair Pricing & Waste Reduction: Eliminates layers of intermediaries, reducing waste and increasing the farmer’s share of final market value.
Target Market
Smallholder Farmers in Tanzania seeking better market access, pricing, and reduced post‑harvest losses.
Informal Market Vendors in urban centers requiring consistent quality produce at lower cost.
Formal Buyers such as hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, and other institutional purchasers.
Partners & Impact Investors interested in agricultural supply chain innovation, food security, and rural economic development.
Value Proposition
EAF formalizes and improves supply chains by connecting farmers directly with buyers, reducing intermediaries, improving quality and shelf life with cold chain logistics, and increasing farmer incomes through fair pricing and agronomic support. This reduces waste, supports rural livelihoods, and enhances food security within the region.