In just two years, this Tanzanian startup has rapidly established itself within the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector. Now, leveraging its proprietary technology, the company is poised for regional expansion, fueled by a $1.5 million pre-seed funding round.

Sumet is an e-commerce solution developed by the Tanzanian startup Sumet Technologies. With its business-to-business (B2B) platform, it aims to streamline the distribution of fast-moving consumer goods across African markets. Founded in 2022 by Hazem Afify, Abdallah Omar, and Mahmoud Tawfik, the young company recently closed a $1.5 million funding round to strengthen its logistics infrastructure, optimize its AI-powered recommendation engine, and expand into new East African markets.

“At Sumet, we’re tackling one of Africa’s biggest challenges—enabling new brands to enter and grow in the market. [...] This funding is vital for strengthening our tech stack, bridging distribution gaps, and creating a dynamic, cost-effective ecosystem that empowers brands to scale effectively,” said Hazem Afify.

Thanks to an integrated logistics network and its web platform, retailers can order products from major brands in just a few clicks, with guaranteed delivery in under 24 hours in certain urban areas. For manufacturers, Sumet’s solution offers real-time sales tracking, better inventory planning, and increased visibility over final distribution points.

“Traditional distribution models often struggle to reach the fragmented and informal retail landscape. [...] We saw an opportunity to leverage technology to streamline the process, reduce costs, and create value for all stakeholders,” Hazem Afify added.

Sumet claims over 10,000 active retailers and processes more than 100,000 orders per month. This success is built on investment in data and automation, as well as a strong local deployment strategy, with teams on the ground in several regions of Tanzania. The startup plans to expand into Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda.

By Adoni Conrad Quenum,

Editing by Feriol Bewa