Twiga Foods, a Kenyan business-to-business food distribution startup, has entered administration after years of losses, layoffs and unsuccessful restructuring efforts, despite raising about $185.4m from investors.
GT Flow Limited, formerly known as Twiga Foods One Limited, was placed under administration on August 17, with Mohamed Mohamed appointed as administrator.
The administrator now controls the company’s assets and management affairs. The appointment also restricts Twiga’s directors from dealing with the company’s assets without the administrator’s approval.
The move is aimed at recovering money owed to suppliers and other creditors.
Founded in 2014, Twiga Foods built its business around connecting farmers and food suppliers directly with small shops and kiosks in urban areas, using technology and logistics to reduce the role of middlemen.
Despite attracting major investments and becoming one of Kenya’s most funded startups, the company failed to achieve profitability during its 12-year history.
Twiga’s financial difficulties became more visible in late 2023 when co-founder Peter Njonjo secured a $35m bond to help the company settle supplier debts.
Njonjo later took a sabbatical and stepped down from the company’s board in early 2024. Charles Ballard, a former Jumia executive, subsequently became chief executive, but the company continued to cut jobs.
Twiga attempted another restructuring in 2025, acquiring three fast-moving consumer goods distributors and working on a new holding company, known internally as “newco”.
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The plan was to move the business towards an asset-light model, with Twiga providing software to the distributors while outsourcing much of its operations.
The restructuring resulted in significant job losses, with about 319 of the company’s 435 employees reportedly laid off.
Twiga also temporarily suspended its Nairobi operations for two months in June 2025 as part of the restructuring.
The company faced further financial pressure in 2026 when creditors petitioned the High Court to liquidate Twiga Tatu SEZ Limited, a company linked to its logistics hub, over unpaid debts.
Workforce data from Revelio Labs showed that Twiga Foods had about 2,097 employees worldwide as of March 2026, down 32.4 per cent from 3,104 employees in 2023.
The administration marks another major setback for one of Kenya’s best-known technology startups, which raised about $185.4m during its expansion from a digital food distribution platform into a broader logistics and distribution business.
About the Author
Cecilia Attah is a tech analyst with a degree from Benue State University. She covers tech news and startups at TechRegard with a focus on how technology is transforming Africa and shaping the global landscape.
