CityBlue Hotels invests in B2B startup 'Farm to Feed'

Africa's fastest-growing local hotel chain, CityBlue Hotels has taken an equity position in the B2B platform Farm to Feed, which sources imperfect surplus produce directly from farmers, increasing their income and fighting food loss

With about 50% of crop production likely to be lost in sub-Saharan Africa, market access is seen as a huge problem for farmers with abundant, imperfect-looking produce. Farm to Feed’s tech-enabled platform paired on-the-ground aggregators and transportation using freezer trucks provides a solution to this climate issue, thereby setting a new standard for food sustainability in Kenya. Beyond sourcing imperfect produce, Farm to Feed is collecting data on drivers of food loss, to enhance farming practices and to create a more circular food system.

“I saw firsthand what farmers were not selling even when markets returned after COVID, and it is a huge devastation not only on food security, but on the economy too," said founder and CEO of Farm to Feed, Claire van Enk. "Food loss has a climate change aspect, with rotting food producing methane, a greenhouse gas that is worse than carbon dioxide.”  

During the Africa Hotel Investment Forum 2024 which took place in in Windhoek, Namibia, founder and CEO of CityBlue Hotels, Jameel Verjee stated that their ESG practices both as CityBlue Hotels and its parent, The Diar Group, would be enhanced by working alongside Farm to Feed. "We hope that other businesses will follow our lead and work with Claire and her team in Africa on the pertinent issues of food security, sustainability and climate.”