What Yolélé does

Yolélé (Yolélé Foods Inc.) is a Brooklyn-headquartered, private CPG company founded in 2017 by Chef Pierre Thiam to commercialize fonio, a regeneratively grown ancient grain cultivated for over 5,000 years in the Sahel region of West Africa. The company operates a vertically integrated model through its sister entities in West Africa — direct smallholder sourcing, aggregation, and industrial-scale processing — and sells a portfolio of consumer products (bulk fonio grain in 2.25lb and 5lb sizes, five pre-seasoned fonio pilaf variants, three fonio chip flavors, African spice mixes) alongside branded cookbooks. Core product certifications include non-GMO, kosher, vegan, gluten-free, and low-FODMAP for consumer SKUs, with GFSI-certified bulk supply available to B2B food and beverage manufacturers.

Revenue is generated through three streams: consumer packaged goods sold via Amazon, Instacart, Thrive Market, Faire.com, and physical retail at Whole Foods, Target, Albertsons, PCC Community Market, and independent grocers totaling 100+ US doors; wholesale to retailers and foodservice through distributors UNFI, KeHE, and Rainforest Specialty Foods; and bulk fonio sales to global food manufacturers via Yolélé West Africa. Unit pricing is in the $7 (individual pilaf/chip bags) to $45 (5lb bulk grain) range, with subscription and gift cards visible on site. Pricing for shipping is tiered ($8 within contiguous US for $18-$44.99 orders, free over $35). The company runs a content-led GTM motion — recipes, newsletter, and PR — but has notably closed its own yolele.com checkout in favor of Amazon.

Capitalization is approximately $2.0 million cumulatively, anchored by a $1.98 million January 2022 grant from USAID through Prosper Africa under the West African Ancient Grains (WAAG) initiative, supplemented by a $20,000 SnackFutures investment (March 2022) and an undisclosed Haskè Ventures investment (2023). Headcount is reported at 1-10 employees. Direct international shipping is not currently supported.

Name

Yolélé

Legal name

Yolélé Foods Inc.

Website

https://yolele.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Yolélé is a Brooklyn-based private CPG company that sells fonio-based consumer products (grain, pilafs, chips, spices) primarily through US retailers including Whole Foods, Target, and Albertsons, while sourcing fonio from smallholder farmers in West Africa through vertically integrated sister companies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Ancient Grain Foods

NAICS

Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing (3114), Snack Food Manufacturing (31191), Food Manufacturing (311)

SIC

Grain Mill Products (2040), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090), Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030)

akta.pro primary industry

Gluten-Free & Specialty Grain-Based Foods Manufacturing (GF pasta/cereals, ancient grains) (AFAKABAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Starches, Flours & Milling Products Trading/Wholesale (AFAIAKAH), Ethnic/International Bulk & Wholesale Grocers (CRAHAMAE)

Keywords

• Specialty grain foods
• Ancient grain products
• Gluten-free pilaf
• West African ingredients
• Snack chips

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Consumer Product Sales: Direct-to-consumer and retail sales of fonio grains, fonio pilafs, fonio chips, and spice mixes through e-commerce and physical retail locations.
2. Bulk Ingredients B2B Sales: Large-scale fonio supply to food and beverage manufacturers around the world. Yolélé is vertically integrated in West Africa with direct farm relationships, aggregation, and processing capabilities.
3. Wholesale to Retailers: Wholesale distribution of packaged consumer products to retailers and foodservice operations through distributors UNFI, KeHE, Rainforest Specialty Foods, and direct ordering via Faire.com.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Yolélé sources regeneratively grown fonio grain from smallholder farming communities in West Africa's Sahel region and sells it through three primary channels: bulk fonio grain to food and beverage manufacturers (B2B), consumer packaged products including pre-seasoned fonio pilafs, fonio chips, and African spice mixes to retailers and end consumers (B2C), and cookbooks that extend the brand into the food media space. The company operates a Shopify-hosted direct-to-consumer storefront, sells through Amazon and major US grocery chains (Whole Foods, Target, PCC), and distributes via natural food wholesalers including UNFI, KeHE, and Rainforest Specialty Foods.

Product overview

Yolélé is a direct-to-consumer food brand specializing in West African fonio-based products. The core product line centers on fonio grain (a regeneratively grown ancient grain cultivated in the Sahel region for over 5,000 years) offered in bulk sizes (2.25lb and 5lb). The company has expanded into value-added products including five pre-seasoned fonio pilaf varieties (Dakar Curry, Afro-Funk, Yassa, Jollof, and Greens) that cook in just 5 minutes, three fonio chip flavors (Sea Salt, Tangy Baobab, and Spicy Chili/Onion/Lime) available in multiple pack sizes, and African spice mixes/rubs. Additionally, Yolélé publishes cookbooks authored by Chef Pierre Thiam to inspire fonio-based cooking. The brand sells primarily through its Shopify e-commerce platform and major retailers including Whole Foods Market, with distribution through UNFI and KeHE.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fonio Grain (2.25lb) Regeneratively grown ancient West African grain sold in a 2.25lb pouch providing 22 servings; a gluten-free, low-glycemic alternative to rice, quinoa, or couscous that cooks in five minutes. Targeted at health-conscious home cooks.
• Fonio Grain (5lb) Bulk 5lb bag of regeneratively grown fonio grain offering 50 servings with the same quick-cooking, gluten-free properties as the smaller pouch; aimed at households and small foodservice operators needing higher volume.
• Dakar Curry Fonio Pilaf Pre-seasoned, ready-in-5-minutes fonio pilaf flavored with turmeric, currants, and curry spices; a mild and warming single-serve West African-inspired side dish for consumers seeking convenient global flavors. Kosher and vegan certified.
• Afro-Funk Fonio Pilaf Ready-to-eat fonio pilaf with fermented locust beans (dawadawa), scallions, and mushrooms, delivering a rich umami flavor inspired by West African cuisine; sold as a single-serve pouch.
• Yassa Fonio Pilaf Spicy pre-seasoned fonio pilaf with sweet onion, habanero, and citrus, modeled on Senegalese Chicken Yassa; sold as a single-serve pouch for consumers wanting bold West African flavors.
• Jollof Fonio Pilaf Ready-in-5-minutes fonio pilaf built on tomato, tamarind, and smoky spices in the style of West African Jollof rice; single-serve pouch aimed at consumers exploring global cuisines.
• Greens Fonio Pilaf Vegetable-forward fonio pilaf with moringa, spinach, leeks, and parsley; a single-serve, ready-in-5-minutes option positioned as a nutritious greens-based side.
• Fonio Pilaf Variety Pack (5-pack) Sampler pack containing one pouch each of the five fonio pilaf flavors (Jollof, Yassa, Afro-Funk, Greens, and Dakar Curry), allowing consumers to try the full product line in a single purchase.
• Sea Salt Fonio Chips (5oz, 4-pack) Crispy fonio-based chips seasoned with sea salt, made from cassava, fonio, high oleic sunflower oil, bamboo fiber, and tapioca flour; sold as a 4-pack of 5oz bags for snacking consumers.
• Tangy Baobab Fonio Chips (5oz, 4-pack) Fonio chips flavored with citrusy baobab fruit and earthy moringa leaf (previously Greens! Fonio Chips); a 4-pack of 5oz bags for snack consumers seeking distinctive African-inspired flavors.
• Spicy Chili, Onion & Lime Fonio Chips (5oz, 4-pack) Fonio chips flavored with habanero chili, caramelized onion, and lime (formerly Yassa! Fonio Chips); a 4-pack of 5oz bags marketed as a bold, savory snack.
• Fonio Chips Variety Pack (1.5oz, 12-pack) Single-serve variety pack of 12 1.5oz fonio chip bags spanning Sea Salt, Tangy Baobab, and Spicy Chili flavors, suited for lunchboxes, travel, and trial.
• African Spice Mixes West African-inspired dry spice rubs and dip mixes such as the Yassa Spice Rub, sold as standalone seasoning products for seasoning grilled proteins and vegetables at home.
• The Fonio Cookbook Yolélé team-authored cookbook featuring recipes that use fonio as the main ingredient, designed to inspire consumers and expand usage occasions for the grain.
• Senegal: Modern Senegalese Recipes from the Source to the Bowl Cookbook by Chef Pierre Thiam exploring modern Senegalese cuisine, sold through Yolélé's storefront as part of its branded cookbook line.
• Yolélé! Recipes from the Heart of Senegal Cookbook featuring traditional Senegalese recipes that celebrate West African flavors, sold via the Yolélé storefront.
• Simply West African: Easy, Joyful Recipes for Every Kitchen (Signed Copy) Signed copy of a cookbook offering accessible West African recipes aimed at home cooks, sold direct-to-consumer through the Yolélé storefront.
• Bulk Fonio Ingredients (B2B Supply) Large-scale GFSI-certified, fully traceable bulk fonio grain sold to food and beverage manufacturers worldwide, sourced through Yolélé's vertically integrated West African supply chain of farm relationships, aggregation, and processing.

Quantifiable outcome

• Fonio expands 4X when cooked - the highest yielding grain
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Mali Shi SAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 April 2022Yolélé partnered with Mali Shi SA on a USAID-funded project to establish a new global value chain for fonio, boosting exports from Mali to the United States. The $1.9 million investment aims to generate over $5 million in exports and create thousands of jobs in Mali within 2.5 years.
• West African Ancient Grains (WAAG) InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 January 2022Partnership initiative in Mali focused on developing scalable, industrial processing solutions for fonio and other crops, supporting the transformation of fonio into a sustainable cash crop for West African farmers.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Aduna: UK-based social-enterprise CPG brand built around African superfoods (baobab, moringa, hibiscus) and African smallholder supply chains, with both consumer products and B2B ingredient sales. Closely mirrors Yolélé's vertical-integration-plus-impact narrative and DTC-to-B2B commercial model.
• Masienda: US heritage-grain and masa brand sourcing single-origin landrace corn from smallholder Mexican farmers, sold B2B to chefs and DTC at retail. Comparable specialty single-crop positioning, premium pricing, supply-chain-led storytelling model, and chef-founder brand.
• InHarvest: Specialty rice and ancient-grain brand (black rice, red rice, farro, fonio) selling B2B into foodservice and retail. Most direct comparable on the bulk-ingredient side given its parallel fonio offering and use of natural foods distributors.

Broad incumbents

• Bob's Red Mill: Iconic US natural/ancient-grain brand with extensive retail distribution. Relevant broad incumbent demonstrating both the ancient-grain category ceiling and the competitive shelf pressure Yolélé faces at Whole Foods and Sprouts.
• Ancient Nutrition: Large DTC and retail brand built on ancient grains and superfoods with health positioning. Overlaps with Yolélé on gluten-free, regenerative, and protein-forward nutritional claims, and competes for the same health-conscious consumer shelf.
• TruRoots: Sprouted ancient-grain pasta and grain brand sold at Whole Foods, Sprouts, and Kroger. Comparable on retail channels, gluten-free positioning, and ancient-grain narrative.
• Alter Eco: Regenerative-organic quinoa and ancient-grain CPG brand with strong retail distribution and a supply-chain-impact narrative directly comparable to Yolélé's West African smallholder story.
• Goya Foods: Dominant US Hispanic/imported ethnic-food brand with national distribution and a multi-category portfolio. Useful reference point for the scale ceiling of an ethnic-cuisine CPG and the competitive threat from incumbents extending into West African categories.

Emerging players

• Teff Tribe: Single-ancient-grain brand built around Ethiopian teff and smallholder farmers, with similar gluten-free/impact-driven positioning. Useful structural analog for a single-crop company's scale and risk profile.
• Iya Foods: US brand founded by a chef, selling West African pantry staples (rice, beans, spices, condiments) into natural and mainstream retail. Comparable African-cuisine DTC-to-retail brand-build narrative.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/yol%C3%A9l%C3%A9-foods
• Xx.com/yolelefoods
• Facebookfacebook.com/yolelefoods

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors4 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Yolélé