“I was inspired to start Merdeo Foods when I was running a small restaurant business on campus. We were facing rising prices from nearby markets which were affecting our margins and ultimately led to the closure of the business. This experience frustrated me, and I realized that there were likely thousands of other restaurant owners facing similar issues. I made it my mission to solve this problem. Last year, I gathered the courage to ideate and test whether restaurant owners wanted this solution, and to my relief, 100 out of 120 restaurants I spoke with affirmed in the positive and onboarded.

I envision Merdeo to have expanded to at least five African countries, with a network of over 10,000 farmers and 2,000 restaurant owners. Our platform would have undergone technological advancements to enable better data analysis, real-time inventory management, and improved logistics, making the entire supply chain more efficient and reducing waste. Additionally, we would have established strong partnerships with financial institutions and mobile money operators to enable seamless payment processing and financial inclusion for smallholder farmers. Ultimately, my goal is to improve the livelihoods of farmers while providing access to affordable and quality food for restaurant owners and consumers.”