260 Brands (Seba Foods (Z) Ltd)

Facilitating deeper engagement with smallholder maize and soybean farmers in Zambia

Country: Zambia

Type of investment: Maize and soybean farm

Use of Proceeds: Maximize output of new plant, purchase crops from local market

Financial close: 18th May 2021

Tenor: 12 months

Type of Investment: Senior Secured CMA Facility

S&E Category: B

On 21 May 2021, Seba Foods Zambia Limited (260 Brands) made the first withdrawal of a USD 4m senior secured CMA facility from AATIF.

Seba Foods is a family-run business founded in 1997 as a subsidiary of Two Six Zero Brands Africa. The company’s activities include purchasing, processing, packaging and shipping of maize and soya products for human consumption, with about 5% into animal feed products. Their key products include textured soy as a meat alternative, powdered/instant drinks, corn soya blend (porridge), as well as snacks, where the company is among the top market leaders in Zambia.

AATIF’s financing will help the company continue to integrate at various parts of the value chain, allowing them to work with local farmers on the ground, sourcing maize and soybean directly from them for further processing and packaging, before marketing the final produce themselves.

The facility provided by AATIF will allow 260 Brands to maximize the output of a recently installed plant, enabling the company to purchase maize and soybeans in the local market for further processing at its own facilities. The company also aims to impact African farmers by engaging 1,000 smallholders, providing dedicated training to produce organic soya, for which Seba will provide inputs, training, guidance on organic certification for the grower group and guarantee the off-take at a premium price for organic certified soya.

Technical Assistance Project Highlight

Market analysis and brand strategy for new soymilk products

Challenge: In Zambia, dairy milk remains expensive for bottom of the pyramid customers due to high local production costs and raised import duties on milk powder. Seba Foods seeks to engage in the production of soymilk as a nutritious and affordable dairy substitute.

TA Intervention: To finance a market study to propose viable marketing strategies and product designs for Seba Foods’ new soymilk-based product line. This will target consumers at the bottom of the pyramid and enable the company to successfully launch their new soymilk products.

Result: As a result of this TA measure, Seba Foods is equipped with a marketing strategy and accompanying branding materials that will enable the launch of a new locally sourced and produced soymilk product line.

Local production

15

Unique products

OUTREACH TO AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS

1,000

Number of smallholders sourced from per annum

Number of employees

140

Female employees
(57 permanent, 83 seasonal)

420

Male employees
(225 permanent, 195 seasonal)

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FACILITY

The TA Facility has supported Seba Foods through the implementation of two TA projects in total since 2021, this includes one rapid appraisal study to assess the impact of the AATIF investment. The results are concluded in the IMPACT Brief.

TA Facility Projects

2021
Market analysis and brand strategy for new soymilk products

2021
Rapid appraisal study of the AATIF investment in Seba Foods

  • Figures are based on latest available self-reported data by investees and data collected by AATIF’s collaboration partners
  • Figures are subject to change as and when additional information becomes available
  • Figures reported here are not replacing rapid appraisals / impact evaluations that are done in addition