The boom in smartphones, the growth of the middle class, and the development of the internet are all factors that have contributed to the growth of e-commerce in Côte d'Ivoire. Jumia, the major player in this field in French-speaking Africa, has been operating in Côte d'Ivoire since 2013 through its meal delivery service, Jumia Food. In the first Côte d'Ivoire Food Index 2020
, Jumia Food takes stock of its activities and reveals key data and trends on the development of e-commerce in the country.
Market overview
"The restaurant market in general has undergone a real evolution in Côte d'Ivoire with the arrival of digital technology and the adoption of e-commerce through Jumia Food. More than 95% of the restaurants active on Jumia Food are local brands…"
– Jean Jacques N'dri, Commercial Director at Jumia Food.
Available in eight municipalities in the economic capital of Abidjan, Jumia Food claims to be the largest pan-African home meal delivery platform. In Côte d'Ivoire, Jumia has more than 150 partner restaurants and 200 delivery partners.
Consumer behavior
The majority of consumers of such a service are individuals under the age of 35 who own a smartphone and live in the city. Orders are mainly placed during the weekend, and fast food remains the most popular cuisine due to its more affordable prices. However, the COVID-19 crisis and lockdown have changed the situation somewhat, with more and more deliveries being made during the week.
To attract consumers despite the health crisis, JUMIA Food has had to adapt and implement a number of measures, such as protective measures and the JumiaPay online payment method, to encourage consumers to use its service.
During the COVID-19 crisis, Jumia enabled restaurants and retailers to maintain their activities and increase their revenues by selling their products online via our platform. This was very important during this period, when the economic survival of several establishments was directly threatened,"
says Francis Dufay, CEO of Jumia Côte d'Ivoire.
Despite the observed growth and changing consumption patterns, many challenges remain. Addressing and digital coverage issues in the region continue to hinder the development of e-commerce in the sub-region. Not to mention the arrival of competition in the market from players such as Glovo and WhatsApp.
Read the full Côte d'Ivoire Food Index 2020
study.