Raheem Sterling has become an angel investor for online grocer, Oja, as well as the platform’s first brand ambassador.

Founded in 2020, Oja delivers African and Caribbean goods across London, with a recent expansion into Birmingham. Catering to various cuisines and dietary requirements, Oja’s rapid growth has filled a void in communities throughout the city. In mainstream grocery stores, culture-specific products are rarely available, forcing shoppers to venture out to specialist grocers.

The platform’s founder, Mariam Jimoh, said: “Within this community, we share a love of food. We feel the intrinsic link between who we are and how we relate to our cultures through food, and we share the frustration over its access. This authenticity shines through and we’re thrilled that Raheem not only recognised the problem we’re trying to solve but wants to join us in solving it for even more people.”

Sterling’s support for the brand comes from his own personal experience, stating that there was a “natural connection” to Oja. The England and Chelsea star added: “I can get my favourite home comforts, like Biggas and plantain chips, and having access to these products at short notice is amazing. I am sure that the wider African and Caribbean communities will appreciate this too, and this is a key reason why I joined this investment round.”

In addition to stocking African and Caribbean foods, the platform recently started selling beauty and hair care products, with plans to stock household items. Oja will use the funding to expand its product offering for more cultures and regions.