The evolution of African markets faces significant barriers: cost, distance, and a lack of infrastructure. Less than 30% of the population have bank accounts, and even fewer have credit cards. Informal retail and cash purchases are the norm, and that has its risks and costs. The amount of cash in one’s pocket at any given moment drives purchasing decisions. With no means to track sales, little data is available, and channels are too fragmented for companies to forecast production and distribution with any degree of accuracy.