Our story
Bridging Africa's farms
with the world's kitchens.
Zela was built on a simple conviction: Africa produces some of the world's finest agricultural commodities, yet the infrastructure connecting African suppliers to international buyers remains fragmented, opaque, and trust-deficient.
We set out to build the missing layer — a curated, export-ready platform that makes sourcing from Africa as reliable and transparent as sourcing from anywhere else in the world.
12+
African countries
40+
Commodity categories
100%
Manual supplier vetting
48h
Sample request response
How we operate
What sets Zela apart
Verified sourcing
Every supplier on Zela is manually vetted by our operations team. We verify certifications, inspect export capabilities, and only list suppliers we'd stake our reputation on.
Export infrastructure
We handle the complexity of cross-border trade — DHL logistics coordination, customs documentation, Airwallex cross-border payments, and shipment tracking from origin to destination.
Sample-first philosophy
We believe buyers should touch and taste before committing to bulk. Every product on Zela supports sample requests, giving you confidence before your first container order.
Transparent traceability
We track every commodity from farm region to final destination. Origin records, certification audits, and seasonal availability are embedded in every product listing.
Mission
"To make African agricultural exports as reliable and traceable as any commodity in global trade."
We operate as the trust and intermediary layer between buyers and suppliers — handling verification, logistics coordination, and payment facilitation so that both sides of the transaction can focus on what they do best.
Our long-term vision is full traceability from farm to final delivery, anchored by immutable records and verifiable certification data.
People
The team
A
Amara Osei
Co-founder & CEO
Ghana
L
Lindiwe Dube
Co-founder & COO
South Africa
T
Tariq Hassan
Head of Logistics
Kenya
P
Priya Nair
Head of Buyer Relations
India / UK