Our story
Bridging Africa's farms
with the world's kitchens.
The Artisan Pod was built on a simple conviction: Africa produces some of the world's finest agricultural commodities, yet the infrastructure connecting African suppliers to international buyers remains fragmented, opaque, and trust-deficient.
We set out to build the missing layer — a curated, export-ready platform that makes sourcing from Africa as reliable and transparent as sourcing from anywhere else in the world.
12+
African farms
100%
Manual supplier vetting
48h
Sample request response
How we operate
What sets The Artisan Pod apart
Verified sourcing
Every supplier on The Artisan Pod is manually vetted by our operations team. We verify certifications, inspect export capabilities, and only list suppliers we'd stake our reputation on.
Export infrastructure
We handle the complexity of cross-border trade — DHL logistics coordination, customs documentation, Airwallex cross-border payments, and shipment tracking from origin to destination.
Sample-first philosophy
We believe buyers should touch and taste before committing to bulk. Every product on The Artisan Pod supports sample requests, giving you confidence before your first container order.
Transparent traceability
We track every commodity from farm region to final destination. Origin records, certification audits, and seasonal availability are embedded in every product listing.
Mission
"To make African agricultural exports as reliable and traceable as any commodity in global trade."
We operate as the trust and intermediary layer between buyers and suppliers — handling verification, logistics coordination, and payment facilitation so that both sides of the transaction can focus on what they do best.
Our long-term vision is full traceability from farm to final delivery, anchored by immutable records and verifiable certification data.
People
The team
Khalifa Saleh
Cofounder
United Arab Emirates
June Barasa
Cofounder
United Arab Emirates
Tony Kharioki
Head of Tech
Kenya