CHIL Food Center is a B2B AI-powered e-commerce platform that simplifies the supply chain directly with food suppliers and food retailers in Europe, Middle East & Africa. It allows food retailers to purchase the food they need to retail now and pay for it later while paying the supplier upfront.

With the new funding, the company is seeking to rapidly expand its operations through a “Buy Now Pay Later” checkout experience for retailers purchasing from food suppliers. 

Speaking about the expansion, Shamim Nabuuma Kaliisa, a co-founder and shareholder in the company, confirms that Solerchil is currently in the final stages of processing the relocation and has plans to hire in Dover.

“Delaware is the ideal choice for a startup like Solerchil Technologies. The state has favourable regulations which offer tech startups a unique advantage for developing innovative financial solutions. It’s a sweet spot for our Buy Now, Pay Later solution,” says Nabuuma. 

She adds, “The availability of several opportunities, including potential investments, makes the state perfect for our new businesses.” 

Besides the new headquarters, CHIL Food Center will continue its operations in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa in line with its mission to simplify the food supply chain between suppliers and retailers. 

Currently, the Food Center has over 300 merchants making use of the Buy Now Pay Later solution daily, and thousands of buyers transacting on the platform.

The proceeds of the pre-seed funding will be used towards further developing its digital credit technology and extending its services across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, supporting the growth of the B2B commerce space.

The Dover offices will be the company’s hub for business support, marketing, and implementation. The company also plans to recruit more staff for its Lille and Dubai offices ahead of a $15M seed funding round.

EDITOR’s NOTE: Part of this story is from an official press release shared to the Tech Point Magazine team.

It comes right at the time when the company is expanding its service offering to support business operations. Through the platform, merchants can offer instant payment terms to their customers through a frictionless B2C-like “Buy Now Pay Later” checkout experience. 

The solution can be integrated easily via APIs into existing e-commerce platforms and marketplaces.

Shamim Nabuuma Kaliisa, a co-founder and shareholder in the company, says that the B2B merchants that use Chil Food Center will now be able to sell more by offering better payment terms to their business customers. 

“Our Buy Now, Pay Later solution eliminates all the burden and risk associated with offering payment terms online by letting B2B merchants instantly offer credit terms at checkout even if the customer is buying from them for the first time,” Nabuuma says.

Merchants using CHIL Food Center will also see an increase in their revenue and customer satisfaction. Nabuuma says the platform is able to protect them against the risks of non-payment, so they are always sure to get paid no matter what. 

What next?

Currently, the Food Center has over 300 merchants making use of the Buy Now Pay Later solution daily, and thousands of buyers transacting on the platform.

The proceeds of the pre-seed funding will be used towards further developing its digital credit technology and extend its services across Africa, Europe and the Middle East, supporting the growth of the B2B commerce space.

The company plans to recruit more staff for its Lille and Dubai offices and is on the verge of raising $15M in seed round.

What the investors had to say

“We understand that trade credit is critical to supply chains, and Solerchil Technologies is solving this problem. That is why we are happy to be part of this and hope to lead even more rounds,”

says Richard Scott Johnson, a partner investor at Sufishent LLC

This was during the Commonwealth Youth Forum, held ahead of the 2022 Commonwealth Heads of Governments Meeting (CHOGM), under the theme ‘Taking Charge of Our Future’.

“I grew up in Africa, schooled in Africa, and started my business in Africa before I scaled to the rest of the world. I therefore know each problem every enterprenuer faces in their journey and it why I accepted the Commonwealth appointment,”

Said Ms. Nabuuma on her new role.

She also adds that, “I am here to look out for ways to help tech entrepreneurs get training, to scale their innovations, get linked to the investors willing to invest in the African tech ecosystem, and every young entrepreneur is my priority because I am one of them.”

The Role of an African Representative on the Commonwealth Youth Council

As the African Regional Representative, Ms. Nabuuma will support the overall governance of the Council in their respective regions. She is accountable to the General Assembly as the official link between the CYC and the African continent.

Ms. Nabuuma will also be an advocate for young people in the Commonwealth is considered an ‘ambassador’ for the Council in Africa. She will as well coordinate and promote the work of the council at the African regional level.

The Commonwealth Youth Council (CYC)

The CYC, which is led by a nine-member executive team, acts as a coalition of national youth councils and other youth-led civil society and private sector bodies from over 54 Commonwealth member countries.

The other members of the Commonwealth Youth Council include the Chairperson, Vice-Chair – Partnership & Resources, Vice-Chair – Policy & Advocacy, Vice-Chair –Inclusion & Engagement, Asian, Caribbean & Americas, Pacific representatives, and the Special Interest representative.

The council works to mobilise, amplify and action the voices of young people and advocate for governments to meaningfully engage and develop young people. It partners and collaborates strategically with the Commonwealth Secretariat and other organizations with a focus on youth development and global change.

Shamim’s recent achievements

Recently, Shamim Nabuuma’s CHIL Group was among the 30 women-led startups that benefited from the Women Entrepreneurship for Africa (WE4A) growth programme.

In April 2020, she became the first Ugandan to make it on the cover of Forbes Magazine, for her selection in the magazine’s Africa 30 under 30 list.

In 2021, she was selected by the Bloomberg New Economy as one of the extraordinary individuals forming the inaugural class of catalysts which includes 30 other scientists, researchers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers. In the same year, she was also profiled among the 80 women advancing AI in Africa.