Dubai-based Kaso raises $10.5m to optimize food supply chain

Kaso co-founders Manar Alkassar (left) and Ahmed Soliman / Photo credit: Kaso

Kaso, which bills itself as the largest B2B ordering platform for restaurants and suppliers in the Middle East, has raised US$10.5 million in a seed round to fuel its mission of disrupting the food supply chain.

Founded in 2021, the Dubai-based firm currently has 5,000 partners in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Its platform streamlines the fulfillment process for restaurants and suppliers, enhancing efficiency and transparency as well as combating food waste.

The company estimates that food waste in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region amounts to around 250 kilograms per capita per year.

Funding details

• Funding amount: US$10,500,000
• Investors: BY VP, Hala Ventures, Seedra Ventures, Pioneer Fund, Spade Ventures, Vulpes Ventures, Cyfr, Global Founders Capital, MSA Novo
• Stage: Seed

Kaso aims to reach US$1 billion in gross merchandise value by next year. It has also introduced a fintech vertical, providing restaurants with payment options and extended credit terms.

Ahmed Soliman, one of Kaso’s co-founders, estimates that the F&B industry in the MENA region is expected to reach US$171 billion in value by 2024.

See also: Mapping SEA’s food tech players: Startups seize opportunities beyond food delivery

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