Seed
to
Shelf.
A 12-week export accelerator preparing 20 African food and beauty brands per cohort for international retail — every shipment, certification, label, and buyer relationship needed to land on the shelf.
Six ways we get you to the shelf.
Most accelerators end at "ready." We don't. Sprouts Africa stays in the room with founders through compliance paperwork, broker negotiations, packaging revisions, and the first purchase order — because shelf space is won in the details.
Expert-led training
Twelve weeks of structured curriculum on export readiness, food safety, FDA compliance, finance, supply chain, and global retail strategy — taught by buyers, regulators, and operators.
1:1 mentorship
Pair with industry mentors who have personally taken African brands onto Whole Foods, Kroger, Amazon and Sprouts shelves — and shipped at scale.
Branding & packaging
Hands-on partnership with creative studios to refine your story, packaging, and shelf design for international consumers without losing your authenticity.
Broker services
We open the door to vetted U.S. brokers and distributors so you arrive in the room ready to close — not still pitching.
Retailer partnerships
Direct introductions to category buyers at Whole Foods, Kroger, Giant, KeHE, and our retailer pledge signatories.
Demo Day
Pitch live to a curated room of 200+ buyers, distributors, and investors. Walk away with orders, term sheets, and partnerships.
From application to international shelves — in five clear steps.
Apply
Founders submit a brand profile, product details, and traction. Applications open quarterly.
Selection
20 brands per cohort are selected based on product readiness, leadership, and global market fit.
Action plan
Each brand gets a tailored 12-week roadmap covering compliance, branding, ops, and go-to-market.
The program
Live training, mentorship, working sessions, and access to brokers, packaging studios, and retailers.
Demo Day
Pitch live to a curated room of buyers and investors. Close orders, partnerships, and follow-on capital.
The room where deals get done.
Each cohort culminates in Demo Day — a curated room of 200+ category buyers, distributors, brokers, and investors. Our brands walk in with retail-ready products and walk out with orders, distribution partners, and follow-on capital.
Is your brand a fit?
- Founded by African entrepreneurs (continent or diaspora).
- An existing food, beverage, or beauty product with paying customers.
- Manufacturing capacity (own or co-pack) and the ambition to export.
- A founding team that can commit ~6 hours per week for 12 weeks.
The next cohort opens soon.
Drop your email and we'll send you the application as soon as it goes live — along with cohort dates, fee details, and partner intros.