Native, a retail intelligence company selling agentic AI tools that track product placement, inventory, and sales inside physical stores, acquired Frontline Research Group for an undisclosed amount, pending customary closing conditions. Frontline runs market-share panels covering traditional trade in more than 14 African markets, and its data is used by AB InBev, Coca-Cola, Heineken, Diageo, Pepsi, and Unilever. Native, which until now operated in Latin America, will fold that data into its platform as an independent measurement layer and convert the business into its Africa unit, with Frontline CEO Sean Barnes taking over as Chief Strategy Officer. Native puts traditional trade at roughly 80% of the $1.7T in annual consumer spending across Africa, spread over more than 10M analog storefronts.
