From Baqala to Blockchain: How Egypt’s MaxAB is Digitizing the Supply Chain for Millions of Micro-Retailers

In Egypt and across the wider Middle East and North Africa (MENA), the traditional corner store—the beloved baqala—is the lifeblood of local commerce. Yet, these millions of micro-retailers operate within a supply chain that is fundamentally broken: fragmented, reliant on cash, prone to unreliable deliveries, and often lacking access to basic credit. This inefficiency translates directly into higher costs and missed opportunities for small businesses.

MaxAB is the company tackling this colossal challenge. Born in Egypt, this B2B e-commerce and distribution platform is digitizing the entire Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) journey, transforming chaotic, manual distribution into a streamlined, tech-enabled engine of economic inclusion.

The Digital Overhaul of the Corner Store

MaxAB’s innovation lies in its one-stop-shop approach. It recognizes that for micro-retailers, the problems extend far beyond just ordering; they need inventory, reliable logistics, and financial stability.

• Simplified Ordering: Through the MaxAB mobile app, store owners can view real-time pricing, order from hundreds of suppliers (manufacturers and distributors), and receive guaranteed, fast delivery directly to their shop. This eliminates the need to deal with dozens of different, unreliable salespeople.
• Access to Credit: Crucially, MaxAB embeds financial services directly into the platform, offering micro-credit and working capital loans to retailers. This solves one of the biggest barriers to growth, allowing them to stock more inventory and never miss an opportunity due to cash flow constraints.
• Data-Driven Efficiency: By collecting data on demand and inventory, MaxAB makes the entire process predictable, reducing waste and ensuring better stock levels for both the retailer and the manufacturer.

The Visionary: Belal El-Megharbel and the Genesis of Disruption

The idea for MaxAB was conceived by its CEO and Co-founder, Belal El-Megharbel. Having gained extensive experience at major e-commerce and logistics giants like Jumia and Careem, El-Megharbel had a clear view of the inefficiencies plaguing the traditional distribution sector.

He recognized that the existing infrastructure was manually intensive, fragmented, and often exploitative towards the small-scale baqala owner. While consumers had embraced e-commerce, the B2B side of traditional retail had been largely ignored by digitalization.

The Solution: Founded in 2018 with co-founder Mohamed Ben Halim, the company's genesis was simple: use a mobile application to connect manufacturers directly to store owners, eliminating unnecessary layers of middlemen and maximizing accessibility—a concept reflected in its name, "MaxAB." By integrating inventory, logistics, and fintech services, MaxAB has successfully served hundreds of thousands of retailers, turning them into modern, financially connected small businesses ready for the digital age.