The SMEP Programme is proud to share a milestone in our mission to support innovation in manufacturing value chains and circularity. One of our grantee projects, Uganda-based BANATEX – EA took to centre stage at the 2025 Massmart Growth Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa on 2nd April 2025. The event brought together over 300 businesses from across the continent for a dynamic exchange of ideas, opportunities, and disruptive solutions for the future of retail.
BANATEX-EA consortium member, TEXFAD Ltd, was selected as one of only 12 African startups to pitch groundbreaking solutions under the Sourcing Innovation theme. Under the BANATEX-EA project, TEXFAD are piloting innovative solutions to produce banana fibre yarn from waste banana pseudo-stems. The company already has a strong local footprint in Uganda where they manufacture home apparel from banana fibre, including hand loomed rugs.
A Global Platform for a Local Innovation
TEXFAD’s journey to the Walmart Summit began when Walmart’s Innovation Sourcing team identified the company through online research. The team was particularly intrigued by TEXFAD’s development of banana fibre yarn (an aspect with the SMEP Programme is supporting) and the potential for this eco-friendly material to solve complex supply chain challenges.
Representing TEXFAD at the summit was Kimani Muturi, who delivered a high-impact pitch to a panel of Massmart and Walmart experts and industry stakeholders. The presentation covered:
- TEXFAD’s origin story and the evolution of its innovation
- Samples of softened banana fibre and yarn
- A business model that integrates smallholder banana farmers
- Collaborative efforts with BANATEX-EA universities as technical partners
- SMEP’s critical role in enabling fibre softening and spinnability breakthroughs.
Walmart's Response: Strong Interest and Forward Momentum
Walmart’s sourcing team responded with enthusiasm and curiosity. They requested detailed specifications of the banana yarn, showed interest in its blendability with other fibres—both natural and synthetic—and asked for samples to begin testing for potential inclusion in their global supply chain.
Walmart expressed intent to support TEXFAD through mentorship, quality control guidance, and eventually, procurement—once TEXFAD reaches manufacturing capacity and meets supplier standards.
This validation from the world’s largest retailer confirms what SMEP believes: Firstly, that new business models are possible, where pollution avoidance and responsible use of resources contribute to both environmental gains and market development. Secondly, sub-Saharan Africa’s innovation ecosystem holds solutions that can contribute to reshaping global industries.
Training, Networking, and Global Exposure
Beyond the pitch, TEXFAD and other summit attendees benefited from high-level training sessions hosted by Walmart. Topics included:
- Private brand supplier onboarding
- Online marketplace integration
- Growth strategies for eCommerce
- Global retail trends and opportunities
This exposure equips TEXFAD with the knowledge and connections to navigate global markets with confidence.
As we reflect on this achievement, the SMEP Programme reaffirms its commitment to supporting scalable, market-driven solutions that drive sustainability in manufacturing value chains.
Empowering Innovation Through Strategic Support
The Programme’s support has enabled wider partnerships: Dr Edwin Kamalha from Kampala-based Busitema University leads the team, bringing TEXFAD into collaboration with experts from the National Textiles University Pakistan among others to research, prototype, and scale processes that convert waste banana pseudostems into a softened and spinnable yarn suitable for global textile markets.
For SMEP, this success story exemplifies the impact of well-targeted innovation support. By funding the critical early-stage research and development (R&D) we help unlock a solution that not only tackles agricultural waste but also creates economic opportunities for farmers and entrepreneurs as well as building local research capability.
TEXFAD’s appearance at the Massmart Innovation Summit also reflects the growing recognition of climate-smart, circular economy innovations as essential components of the global supply chain.
Amanda Dinan
SMEP PMA Technical Coordination and Stakeholder Engagement, with inputs from Kimani Muturi