Avenews and Grebe sign MoU to empower Kenyan agri-stockists

By Ruth Ng’ang’a

Agri-fintech firm Avenews and Grebe Enterprises Limited have signed a strategic partnership to address the persistent working-capital shortage faced by agri-traders in Kenya’s agricultural supply chain.

The two companies formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Thursday, April 30, 2026, during a ceremony held at Grebe Enterprises Limited’s headquarters in Pipeline, Nakuru.

The collaboration introduces an innovative embedded financing solution that allows stockistAs to access instant credit at the point of sale without traditional loan approvals or upfront cash.

Bridging the financing gap for stockists

Speaking during the signing ceremony, Emmanuel Murai, Business Development Director at Avenews Kenya, said the partnership addresses a critical pain point for agri-traders operating within the agricultural supply chain.

“At Avenews, we recognize that agricultural traders work with limited profit margins and face tight seasonal constraints. Timeliness is crucial. Stockists must replenish their inventory swiftly to satisfy farmer demand, but many encounter liquidity challenges at the most critical times,” said Murai.

He added that the two companies are currently working with stockists across the Rift Valley, engaging markets and counties to identify active traders and support them with financing at the point of purchase.

With the new solution, Avenews directly provides working capital to Grebe’s stockists at the moment of purchase. Traders can acquire goods without making an initial payment and repay only after selling the products to farmers. This approach closely ties financing to the actual flow of goods—from supplier invoices through stock delivery to final sales.

Strengthening agricultural supply chains

Dunson Kamau, General Manager of Grebe Enterprises Limited, emphasized the importance of timely financing in the agricultural sector. He noted that farmers depend heavily on prompt access to essential inputs such as seeds, crop protection products, and animal health supplies.

“One of the biggest barriers our traders face is affordable and timely working capital. Through our partnership with Avenews, we are removing that barrier by ensuring our stockists can say ‘yes’ to their farmer customers every single time,” he said.

For over a decade, Grebe Enterprises Limited has built strong distribution networks, particularly in the Central Rift Valley and surrounding areas. Following a successful pilot phase, the partnership now equips its stockists with flexible financial solutions to expand their businesses without being limited by cash flow constraints.

Grebe’s strongest presence remains in the Greater Rift Valley and Nakuru, which will serve as the initial focus for onboarding. This will be complemented by Avenews’ wider national footprint spanning Nairobi, Mount Kenya, Lower Eastern, Nyanza, Western Kenya, and other Rift Valley regions.

The programme aims to strengthen agro-input distribution by aligning financing with real trade dynamics, reducing reliance on expensive informal credit, and ensuring farmers have consistent access to essential agricultural supplies.