Zumi is digitizing the apparel value chain through connecting apparel wholesalers and retailers in a transparent, affordable marketplace. Zumi is empowering women retailers with the technology, logistics and financial services to scale.
Innovation
- Digitization of the apparel value chain lowering product costs, improving logistics and
providing access to finance – all of which are obstacles for profitability and growth for
small, informal retailers. Replication of very successful business model in SE Asia
(Zilingo) and India (Udaan). - The only B2B model for the apparel market.
- Data capture provides basis for next stage growth through monetization.
- Through use of tech, they aim to democratize access, lower costs, increase selection
and provide financing to small scale informal apparel sellers who are underserved. Free
delivery is also part of the value add. Offline market structure creates at least 28% of
additional costs of product due to many intermediaries who create little value. - Business model involves aggregation of small retailer orders and optimized delivery,
enabling bypassing middlemen as well as better fulfillment of each retailer’s best
moving stock. - Apparel industry estimated to be £12B across Africa by 2021. Kenya’s apparel industry is
worth £2B; Zumi plans to scale to 20K retailers, unlocking a £76M annual revenue
opportunity. - Revenue model: Margin on goods sold on platform and interest on financing.
Cost savings for end consumers, which can be used for more productive purposes.
Key Milestones under KCJF
- 13K customers, primarily poor women, benefiting from a £190 increase in monthly income
by 2022, a 50% increase (28% from cost savings and 22% from growth through credit). - Create additional 7K jobs.
- Zumi is on a path to profitability and sustainability and likely to unlock Series A
investment. - Disruption of non-value adding intermediaries (brokers) to be folded into Zumi as sales
reps; integration with apparel importers to enable higher volume discounts, which are
passed on to the users. - Potential for systemic impact in large apparel sector, solving structural problems by
making it more productive, formalized, enabling apparel retailers to achieve
differentiation and growth through tech, data and working capital.
About The Founder
William McCarren started his first business at age 21, and has accumulated seven years of e- commerce experience across Africa and the UK. He began his career at Amazon UK, and has since worked for Rocket Internet and Jumia (leading the operational excellence division) before starting ZUMI.
Sabrina Dorman has launched, led and scaled e- commerce businesses in Africa for six years. After completing her MBA at INSEAD, she started Jumia Tanzania from scratch, and built the team and operations before relocating to Jumia Kenya to head up the commercial team.
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