Farm to Feed, a Kenyan agritech startup focused on reducing food waste by connecting smallholder farmers with buyers for imperfect produce, has raised $1.5 million in seed funding to expand its operations across Kenya and into regional markets in Africa.
The funding comprises $1.27 million in equity and $230,000 in non-dilutive financing from the DeveloPPP Ventures programme, an initiative of the German Investment Corporation (DEG) that supports innovative businesses in sub-Saharan Africa.
The equity round was led by Delta40 Venture Studio, with participation from DRK Foundation, Catalyst Fund, Holocene, Marula Square, 54Co, Levare Ventures, and Mercy Corps Ventures.
Across Africa, up to 40% of food produced never reaches consumers, often because of aesthetic standards, poor logistics, or lack of access to markets.
Founded in 2021, Farm to Feed addresses this inefficiency by creating a digital marketplace for what it calls “rescue-grade” produce—food that is safe and nutritious but rejected for cosmetic reasons.
The platform links smallholder farmers directly with businesses seeking affordable and traceable produce, helping to build a more sustainable and inclusive food supply system.
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The company completed an initial funding close in February but kept the round open after more investors expressed interest as its operations expanded.
“Farm to Feed is transforming one of Africa’s biggest inefficiencies into one of its greatest opportunities,” said Maelis Carraro, founder and managing partner at Catalyst Fund. “Their model proves that climate adaptation and inclusive growth can go hand in hand.”
Farm to Feed emerged in response to the food distribution crisis during the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020. At the time, Kenya’s horticulture industry was losing about $3 million daily as farmers struggled to access markets.
Founder Claire van Enk, then on a career break from management consulting, launched a GoFundMe campaign to buy crops directly from smallholder farmers and distribute them to families in informal settlements.
The initiative fed up to 10,000 people daily at its peak and revealed a deeper problem—farmers routinely discarded edible produce simply because it did not meet visual retail standards.
By 2021, Van Enk and co-founders Anouk Boertien and Zara Benosa turned the effort into a full-fledged agritech business. Farm to Feed now serves over 6,500 farmers, has sold more than 2.1 million kilograms of produce, and claims to have prevented 247 tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions.
Its operations are driven by proprietary digital tools, including a mobile and USSD platform for farmers to check prices and deliveries, and an enterprise resource planning system that manages operations and traceability for customers.
In 2024, the company raised $1 million in pre-seed equity and grants to improve its logistics and payment systems. The latest funding will support its next growth phase—strengthening digital infrastructure, expanding sourcing and distribution networks across Kenya, and scaling its semi-processed product line, which provides ready-to-use ingredients to businesses.
“With our semi-processed line, we can increase impact, reduce waste, and make life easier for our customers,” Van Enk said. She added that Farm to Feed’s immediate goal is to deepen its footprint in Kenya before expanding to export markets.
