Who has not thought about having fresh veggies delivered at home with just a simple click? It’s the question that Amanda Cole, a young entrepreneur from Indonesia, addressed with her start-up Sayurbox.

In our fast, global digital world, Amanda is a breath of fresh air. Through her software application, she provides her customers with a wide range of fresh produce sourced directly from producers. Orders are relayed straight through to farmers, with a 24 hours delivery time after harvest.

As Amanda explains: "Our farm-to-table concept emphasizes on getting the fresh produce directly from local farms to your tables within one day. Hence, you know that you are getting the freshest produce straight from harvest."

By using new technologies Amanda helps traditional farmers join the online world. She explains that: “slowly but surely, by cutting the complex food provision supply chain, we hope to improve the welfare of farmers by giving them the returns they deserve for their hard work."

This business concept also promotes a healthy lifestyle and provides a sustainable approach to consumption by reducing the quantity of produce that can get wasted in the supply chain.

Since 2018, Amanda has also become a champion for the new economy after joining the UNCTAD and Alibaba Business School eFounders Fellowship programme.

Like many other like-minded entrepreneurs, Amanda had been struck by the importance of having a strong business culture in order to achieve a common goal.

She believes that the experience in Hangzhou helped her realize her potential by widening the perspectives on her business.

The 10-day visit of Alibaba Group’s headquarters in Hanghzou, China, helped her adopt a proactive mindset to always plan well ahead for Sayurbox’s activities.

Upon her return from the course, Amanda and her team increased the number of partnerships they had with local farmers.

They also rethought the range of products they were offering and improved their marketing campaign, which resulted in the doubling of their sales.

Currently, Sayurbox is working with over 300 local partners and more than 60’000 customers, including businesses.

Sayurbox, and entrepreneurs like Amanda, emphasize the complementary element that the new economy can bring to the traditional one, especially in a world which increasingly cares about the use of resources and the reduction of waste.

eFounders Fellowship Programme

UNCTAD’s smart partnership with the Alibaba Business School aims to bridge the digital divide in Africa and Asia and empower young e-founders in developing countries to become champions for the new economy.

The partnership is the brainchild of UNCTAD Secretary-General Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi and Jack Ma, founder and executive chairman of Alibaba Group, who served as a special advisor to UNCTAD on young entrepreneurs and small business.