Services
Bulk Buying
The Vuleka buying group is a collective buying organisation that offers our members access to leading brands and suppliers regardless of their size. Our combined group buying power helps you as an independent to remain competitive in an environment dominated by large chains. You get the advantage of the big group without losing your identity or individuality! Join us and experience our simple, affordable and transparent support system. We provide a formal link to the informal retailer with the intention of assisting informal traders to compete on an equal footing in the formal retail context.
Micro-Distribution Centres & Last Mile delivery
We have one centralised warehouse where we house stock but we also have micro distribution centres in partnership with independent entrepreneurs who live within the communities that we service. These help to distribute, and the goods ordered through our platform in small, specific geographical areas. MDCs are typically located in areas where a lack of stable roads and infrastructure makes it difficult for delivery trucks to travel, which helps us secure hard-to-reach markets while creating wealth and job growth in those communities. Those who set up MDCs employ others in the area, who then sell and distribute products to retailers in their communities. We deliver directly to the door of the informal business owner.
Insights
We provide insights to manufacturers about their products in the informal sector /Tier 3. We can accurately measure sales into the informal businesses via our Vuleka Mobile App. We measure where manufacturers products are sold daily, we measure via Brand / pack size / sku analysis (value, volume and variant). We also do analysis of impact of promotional spend and activations in the informal sector. We provide these reports to manufacturers as well as and how to GET your product where it needs to be. Our Vuleka App has an interface for the consumer who provides raw unfiltered product insights through completing surveys, competitions and activations on our platform.
Route to Market
For manufacturers of FMCG goods we provide a route to market solution into our large database of informal business owners. Each informal business owner provides us with floor space as well as shelf space to test out selling new products. For smaller manufacturers that do not have the budget to list with the large retailers we list them on our Vuleka catalogue that the informal business owners use to make orders, the product goes directly to your consumer. We provide manufacturers with their product journey into the informal sector from their warehouse directly to their end consumer.
Training
We provide basic business training to Informal business owners to help them to make a profit and to become sustainable, the training is specifically targeted to their type of business and industry they are in and is more practical than theoretical. Our Youth marketers provide the training on-site
Credit Profiles
We build credit profiles for informal and unbanked business owners then provide them with credit (loans) in order to acquire stock from us. They in turn give stock on credit to their customers who then pay them at an agreed upon time. Through our Vuleka Alternative credit Bereau we create scores for informal business owners that can be used by other credit providers.