Twiga

Twiga, a Kenyan B2B e-commerce platform, is laying off 283 employees, representing 33% of its 850 workforce, to maintain business viability amid macroeconomic challenges and capital-raising difficulties. The company is implementing strategic adjustments, including disbanding in-house delivery in favor of a logistics marketplace and transitioning to a central warehouse model, to reduce costs and enhance operational efficiency.

Twiga Foods, an e-commerce food distribution startup in Africa, laid off approximately 283 employees, representing about one-third of its 850 permanent workforce, in August 2023. The company cited a tough business environment and declining purchasing power as reasons for operational restructuring aimed at becoming a leaner and more cost-efficient organization. Despite the layoffs, Twiga denied rumors of shutting down its Ugandan operations and confirmed the continuation of its Twiga Fresh farming vertical. The affected employees across all markets are to receive severance packages in compliance with labor laws.

In November 2022, Kenya's B2B e-commerce and food distribution platform Twiga laid off 211 full-time employees, representing 21% of its workforce of over 1,000. The layoffs were part of a restructuring that eliminated the company's in-house sales team as a cost-cutting measure. Affected trade development representatives were offered the option to transition into independent sales agents working on a commission basis, aligning with a new optimized sales program. The agritech company, which connects farmers and manufacturers to retailers, stated the move was made in compliance with labor laws and aims to create entrepreneurial opportunities while controlling operational expenses.