High volume, low latency event streaming on AWS: Empowering retail entrepreneurs in Africa with Boost Technology

Overview

Boost Technology, focused on empowering African retailers, needed to scale their MVP into a robust platform. Partnering with Lambert Labs, they built on AWS, migrating their backend to AWS Elastic Beanstalk and implementing Apache Kafka on Amazon EC2 for high-volume messaging. By harnessing AWS, Boost successfully transitioned to a fully operational business, scaling across multiple African countries and empowering thousands of retailers, solidifying their position in African digital commerce.

Opportunity / Customer Challenge

Boost Technology had identified a critical need in the African market: simplifying stock ordering for small businesses. Their Minimum Viable Product (MVP), leveraging a user-friendly WhatsApp interface, demonstrated the potential to revolutionize supply chain and distribution networks, particularly in regions where these systems were underdeveloped. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic further highlighted the urgency for digital transformation in these sectors, creating a clear business case for Boost’s solution.   

However, the MVP, while promising, was limited in scope. To capitalize on this significant market opportunity and build a sustainable, scalable business, Boost needed to evolve beyond its initial offering. They faced the challenge of transforming their MVP into a comprehensive operational platform capable of delivering a wide range of solutions across their entire software stack. This involved not only expanding the platform’s functionality but also ensuring its reliability, security, and scalability to serve a growing customer base across diverse African markets. Boost Technology needed to bridge the gap between their promising MVP and a fully realized, enterprise-grade solution, capable of driving meaningful digital transformation in the African supply chain.

Solution

To transform their MVP into a robust, scalable platform, Boost Technology leveraged a comprehensive suite of AWS services. The backend, primarily built in Python, was deployed using Elastic Beanstalk, simplifying deployment and ensuring the platform could easily scale to meet growing demand. Data persistence was provided by Amazon Relational Database Service for relational data and Amazon DocumentDB for NoSQL needs, ensuring reliable and flexible data management.  

To enhance the WhatsApp ordering experience, an event-streaming system was implemented using Apache Kafka on EC2. This system reliably delivered customer messages to a Natural Language Processing (NLP) engine, significantly improving response times and the overall user experience.

Recognizing the importance of accessibility in areas with limited connectivity, Boost developed an offline-capable web application for stock purchasing. This application, designed to function without constant internet access, utilized local data storage to ensure uninterrupted service for field teams.

To streamline critical ordering processes, background tasks were managed using a Celery worker cluster deployed on Amazon Elastic Container Service. This allowed for efficient processing of key steps in the online ordering process, improving overall platform performance. Scheduled database synchronization jobs, executed using AWS Lambda and AWS Step Functions, ensured data consistency across environments.

Lambert Labs has delivered all the project’s needs with great aplomb. All solutions have helped the internal teams across four countries to be efficient in customer value and operational scalability. (Will Croft, Co-founder and CTO, Boost Technology)

Outcome

The comprehensive solutions implemented by Boost Technology, harnessing the power of AWS, enabled a seamless transition from a promising MVP to a fully operational business, scaling in four countries across Africa. The robust infrastructure built on AWS, particularly the scalable deployment via Elastic Beanstalk and the low-latency, high-volume messaging system powered by Apache Kafka on EC2, proved crucial in supporting the platform’s rapid growth.

This technical success directly contributed to Boost’s remarkable business achievements. Boost Technology has emerged as a key player in transforming African supply chains. Their platform has empowered countless small businesses, enabling them to efficiently manage inventory and navigate the complexities of distribution networks. AWS played a pivotal role in this transformation, providing the scalable, reliable, and secure foundation necessary to turn Boost’s vision into a reality. The ability to rapidly iterate and deploy new features on AWS allowed Boost to adapt to the dynamic needs of the African market, solidifying their position as a leader in the digital transformation of African commerce.

It’s easy to take high volume, low latency, e.g. messaging, applications for granted. Ultimately, such applications only work on robust infrastructure which highlights the importance of AWS to Boost’s success. (George Lambert, Founder & CEO, Lambert Labs)

About Boost Technology

Boost Technology is a rapidly growing technology company revolutionizing supply chain efficiency for small businesses across Africa. Operating in Ghana, South Africa, Nigeria, and Egypt, Boost simplifies stock ordering and delivery through its accessible digital platform, primarily via WhatsApp. Committed to empowering informal merchants, Boost provides vital tools for inventory management and business growth, driving digital transformation in underserved markets.