What Smartfill does

Smartfill is a retail-technology company that designs and deploys IoT-connected dispensers and a cloud-based stock-management platform enabling packageless, measured-quantity sales of food and household products. Its hardware portfolio spans solids (powders, grains, nuts, washing powder) and liquids (shampoo, body wash), with the next-generation dual-format unit producing on-the-fly barcodes and priced under $50 per dispenser in volume. The cloud platform captures real-time transaction counts, stock levels, and consumer usage patterns, exposing these via a central dashboard to FMCG brands and informal-trade retailers. Smartfill originated in 2020 as an R&D project inside Smollan and was co-developed with digital transformation consultancy DY/DX; Nevo Hadas (CEO) and Marc Wetselaar (COO) lead the team, which remains small at 1-10 employees.

The company's commercial model is B2B2C: Smartfill partners with FMCG manufacturers (Unilever, Golden Keys, B-Well, Mielie King, Big Nuts) who co-brand and fund dispenser placement inside spaza shops and dukas, while Smartfill manages dispenser logistics, refill supply, ambassador networks, and platform operations. It earns through dispenser hardware/licensing to brands, transaction-linked uplift on retailer margins, and managed-service deployments for social-impact programmes such as the ENDGAME school nutrition solution with Millhouse Africa. Geographic operations span South Africa (primary base in Tembisa), with active pilots in Zambia, Bangladesh, Kenya, and a UK trial with UKRI. Revenue is undisclosed; the only confirmed capital event is an April 2025 grant of approximately USD 476,000 from Transform (a UK FCDO, Unilever, and EY partnership), earmarked for 14 new refill-enabled stores and a low-emission distribution network.

Smartfill's competitive positioning rests on three pillars: a purpose-built IoT-plus-cloud stack for informal-trade environments, an open-source hardware design that materially lowers dispenser cost, and deep brand partnerships (most notably Unilever) backed by recognition from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and WWF. Pilot results demonstrate strong traction — over 30,000 cumulative transactions, 28% daily repeat behaviour, Big Nuts' 500% sales uplift in three months, SPAR Tembisa tripling sub-1kg product sales — but the business remains early-stage, with a small employee base, single grant funding event, and no disclosed commercial revenue.

Name

Smartfill

Legal name

Smartfill

Website

https://smartfill.store

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Smartfill builds IoT-connected dispensers and a cloud stock-management platform that enable FMCG brands to sell food and household products in measured, packageless quantities inside informal-trade spaza shops across South Africa, Zambia, Bangladesh, and Kenya.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail IoT / Smart Refill Dispensing Systems

NAICS

Convenience Retailers and Vending Machine Operators (44513), Vending Machine Operators (445132), Convenience Retailers (445131)

SIC

Retail-Convenience Stores (5412), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Automated/Unattended Convenience Stores (Smart/Checkout-Free) (CRAHABAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Vending & Micro-Markets (EDALADAF), Automatic Dispensers & Refills (Metered Aerosol/Timed Release) (CRAJAEAG)

Keywords

• IoT refill dispensers
• Packageless retail solutions
• Cloud inventory platform
• FMCG dispensing technology
• Smart refill systems

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Dispenser and Platform Licensing to FMCG Brands: Smartfill deploys branded dispensers in spaza shops and informal retailers, charging FMCG brand partners (e.g., Unilever, Golden Keys, B-Well) for placement, data access, and access to the informal trade channel. Brands benefit from reduced packaging and logistics costs while paying for distribution and visibility into real-time sales data.
2. Retailer Margin Uplift: Spaza shops and informal retailers generate higher margins by selling from bulk at small-size prices without the cost of individual packaging. Smartfill drives footfall and transaction volume, increasing retailer revenue per store.
3. Social Impact / NGO-Funded Deployment: Smartfill technology is deployed in school nutrition programs (Project ENDGAME with Millhouse), funded by NGO/donor resources. The platform provides auditable precision delivery of nutrients, with the school or program paying for or being subsidised for the dispensing infrastructure.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Smartfill designs, manufactures, and deploys IoT-connected dispensers and a proprietary cloud platform that enable packageless, refill-based retail of everyday food and cleaning products in low-income informal markets. FMCG brands fund dispenser placement in spaza shops and dukas; consumers buy precise quantities using their own containers, eliminating single-use plastic packaging while generating real-time transaction and stock telemetry.

Product overview

Smartfill is an IoT-enabled refill and reuse retail solution consisting of connected dispensers and a cloud platform. The core offering includes Smartfill IoT Dispensers (for both liquids like shampoo and solids like grains/powders) that enable consumers to purchase precise quantities of products in their own containers, eliminating single-use packaging. These dispensers connect to the Smartfill Cloud Platform, which provides real-time telemetry data on transactions, stock levels, and usage patterns for stock management, logistics optimization, and consumer insights. The platform has also been adapted for specialized applications such as the ENDGAME Nutrition Solution for school feeding programs. The product portfolio includes the original Gcwalisa prototype, current-generation dry food and liquid dispensers, and the next-generation models released in June 2024.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Smartfill IoT Dispensers Smart, connected dispensers for packageless retail that dispense precise quantities of food and cleaning products (powders, grains, nuts, liquids) into customer containers. IoT-enabled with real-time telemetry, stock monitoring, and cloud platform connectivity. Deployed for FMCG brands and informal retailers.
• Shampoo and Body Wash Dispenser Liquid dispenser co-developed with Transform, Unilever, and BOPinc. Producible for under $50 using readily available electronic components. Targets low-income informal stores to reduce sachet plastic waste, with an open-source design.
• Dry Food Dispenser Dispenser for nuts, grains, and powders with enhanced user experience for precise quantity selection. Features automatic weighing and barcode printing. Uses standardized food-safe containers as product hoppers for circular bulk packaging.
• Smartfill Cloud Platform Cloud-based packageless stock management platform connecting to all IoT dispensers. Provides real-time transaction data, stock levels, consumer insights, and logistics management for manufacturers and retailers, with a central dashboard for remote dispenser status monitoring.
• ENDGAME Nutrition Solution Automated self-dispensing unit for Millhouse Africa's fortified ENDGAME nutrition blend at schools. Uses Smartfill technology adapted with facial recognition for student identification, portion control, and participation tracking, addressing child malnutrition in South African schools.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 30,000 sales transactions recorded as of September 2025, with 28% of Smartfill consumers returning daily
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.

• UnilevercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Smartfill and Unilever co-develop and deploy branded dispensers for products including Sunlight washing powder (Kenya), shampoo and body wash (Bangladesh pilot), and other FMCG products in spaza shops. Unilever is a core brand partner funding dispenser placement and benefiting from real-time sales data and access to the informal trade channel.
• Goldkeys International (Golden Delight)supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025Goldkeys International supplies rice through Smartfill dispensers into spaza shops, with its Golden Delight brand being cited as a breakthrough model for South African households seeking affordable, quality rice in flexible quantities.
• B-WellsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025B-Well (Unilever brand) supplies cooking oil through Smartfill dispensers in Tembisa spaza shops as part of the township refill rollout.
• Mielie KingsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025Mielie King supplies maize meal through Smartfill dispensers in Tembisa spaza shops as part of the township refill rollout.
• Big NutssupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025Big Nuts supplies peanuts through Smartfill dispensers into spaza shops, growing their sales volume 500% in just 3 months. The price point and flexible serving sizes have been a runaway hit with spaza consumers.
• African Reclaimers Organisation (ARO)minorOthers · 1 January 2025African Reclaimers Organisation (ARO) is one of the other three enterprises benefiting alongside Smartfill from Transform's R9 million circular economy innovation initiative for South Africa.
• SonkeminorOthers · 1 January 2025Sonke is one of the other three enterprises benefiting alongside Smartfill from Transform's R9 million circular economy innovation initiative for South Africa.
• GrooveTechminorOthers · 1 January 2025GrooveTech is one of the other three enterprises benefiting alongside Smartfill from Transform's R9 million circular economy innovation initiative for South Africa.
• Ellen MacArthur FoundationsupportingOthers · 1 January 2025Smartfill has been recognised by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation as a case study for refill and reuse success in the global south, validating its circular economy model.
• WWF South AfricasupportingOthers · 1 January 2025Smartfill has been recognised by WWF South Africa as a case study for refill and reuse success in the global south, validating its environmental impact model.
• BOPincsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024BOPinc (Business Opportunity Development for base-of-pyramid markets) partnered with Smartfill, Unilever, and DY/DX to develop the shampoo refill dispenser for Bangladesh and the washing powder dispenser for Kenya, providing expertise in serving low-income consumers.
• Millhouse AfricasupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Fortified food producer Millhouse partnered with Smartfill and DY/DX to deploy the ENDGAME nutrition dosing unit at Julukandoda Primary School in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Smartfill's IoT platform enables auditable, precision delivery of nutrient powders to schoolchildren with facial recognition tracking.
• SPAR South AfricasupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2024SPAR South Africa piloted Smartfill dispensers at its Tembisa store, selling rice, sugar, coffee granules, and coffee creamer. The pilot tripled sales of product under 1kg and moved over 550kg of product, demonstrating strong consumer demand for packageless retail.
• UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024UKRI partnered with Smartfill to pilot dispenser deployment in London, UK, dispensing chocolate-covered almonds, cashews, and muesli, validating Smartfill's technology in a developed-market context.
• DY/DXcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021DY/DX (digital transformation consultancy) co-developed Smartfill technology with Smollan, designing the IoT dispenser architecture, cloud platform, and user experience. DY/DX's Nevo Hadas serves as Smartfill CEO. The partnership also covers human-centred design for social impact applications (e.g., Project ENDGAME school nutrition).
• SmollancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Smartfill was initiated by Smollan as an R&D project and is developed in partnership with DY/DX. Smollan, a leading retail solutions company, provides commercial expertise, retail relationships, and market access for Smartfill's deployment in informal trade markets. Smartfill is now an independent entity.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Loop (by TerraCycle): Reusable-packaging platform from TerraCycle partnering with major CPG brands (Unilever, P&G, Nestlé) to dispense products in returnable containers at retailers. Operates in a broader, developed-market footprint with similar FMCG-brand partnership DNA.

Direct peers

• MIWA: Czech-headquartered smart refill system using IoT-enabled dispensers and reusable containers for groceries and household products. Directly comparable IoT-dispenser architecture and reusable-packaging circular model targeting mainstream retail.
• Algramo: Chile-founded IoT-enabled refill dispenser platform partnering with FMCG brands (Unilever, Nestlé) to dispense cleaning and personal-care products in reusable packaging at retail. Closest direct analogue to Smartfill's FMCG-funded IoT dispenser model, including similar B2B brand-partnership economics.

Emerging players

• Twiga Foods: Kenyan B2B food-distribution platform serving informal retailers in East Africa. Comparable informal-retail distribution context and overlapping FMCG-vendor relationships, with a different operational model (logistics vs. in-store dispensing).
• MarketForce (formerly Sokowatch): B2B e-commerce and distribution platform serving informal retailers (dukas, kiosks) across East and Southern Africa. Comparable end-customer base in informal African retail, though operating as a route-to-market layer rather than in-store hardware.
• Wasoko: B2B distribution platform serving informal retailers across East Africa. Adjacent in serving the same spaza/duka customer base that Smartfill dispenses into, though via wholesale supply rather than in-store hardware.

Others

• Plastic Bank: Social enterprise that incentivises collection of ocean-bound plastic in coastal communities and partners with FMCG brands on recycled-content packaging. Comparable sustainability narrative and emerging-market brand partnerships, but a different operational mechanism.
• Winnow Solutions: UK-headquartered IoT and AI platform that helps commercial kitchens track and reduce food waste. Adjacent in IoT-for-FMCG-and-food-impact, though operating in foodservice rather than retail dispensing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smartfill
• Xx.com/Smartfill_store
• Facebookfacebook.com/Smartfill.store

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Smartfill