Bloodbath At Twiga Foods As 130 Are Sacked

Kenyan agri-tech firm Twiga Foods has fired at least 130 sales agents in the last one-and-a-half months as fortunes dwindle due to increased competition.

Speaking to a local publication, Twiga Foods chief executive Peter Njonjo said that the agents were let go due to poor sales, while those with promising sales were retained.

Most of the sales representatives sacked by the company were hired in October 2022 to replace employees of the company whose contracts were terminated.

“We had a total of 440 agent territories, of which 50 were inactive. Making a net of 390, of these 130 were performing below expectation and were rationalised,” said Mr Njonjo.

“The 130 left in the last 45 days…from the start of May. They were inactive. We had to part ways with them.”

Business Daily reports that active sales agents take home as high as Ksh30,000 per week while inactive ones can earn as little as Ksh2,000 in commission.

In October last year, Twiga Foods laid off at least 221 employees as part of cost-cutting measures, with about 117 of its former employees taking up its offer to partner with them as sales agents.

Twiga Foods’ plans to do away with non-performing independent agents came amid plans to expand to the West and Central African market in a five-year plan.

The company has raised Ksh17 billion in capital since its inception.

The startup launched a new farming subsidiary, Twiga Fresh for farming onions, tomatoes and watermelons.