Kenafric Group announced the creation of Kenafric Ventures, a corporate venture fund with a capital pool of US$10 million aimed at African consumer‑focused start‑ups.

The fund will make equity investments ranging from US$100,000 to US$2 million in early‑stage companies that have demonstrated product‑market fit and are ready to scale.

Target sectors include food and beverage, beauty and personal care, as well as consumer‑facing retail platforms such as direct‑to‑consumer brands and experiential consumer companies.

Beyond capital, portfolio founders can tap into Kenafric’s manufacturing, distribution and market expertise built since the company’s founding in 1987.

The fund is managed by S2E Africa with design support from FSD Africa, reflecting a broader effort to channel corporate capital into the Small and Growing Businesses market.

Kenafric’s CEO Mikul Shah highlighted that the company’s four‑decade experience moving products from Nairobi factories to East African shelves will be offered as a strategic resource to investees.

S2E Africa’s founder Pulkit Srivastava said the partnership can evolve from an initial investment to include distribution, manufacturing, market expansion and possibly acquisition.

FSD Africa’s Juliet Munro noted that while corporate capital is abundant in Africa, it rarely reaches start‑ups, and Kenafric Ventures aims to change that by providing both financing and operational know‑how.