Varsity Graduates Pool Resources, Begin Food Business
Three university graduates and an undergraduate have launched a mobile kitchen in Calabar, Cross River State.
The group pooled resources together during the COVID-19 lockdown to start food business partnership named ‘Another WurldzB Repast’.
The leader of the group, Paul Rotimi Chibueze, a student of medicine and surgery at the University of Calabar, who was convinced about the prospects of the business idea, provided the N30, 000 ‘seed capital’ to open the mobile kitchen eatery.
While disclosing this on Monday June 15, 2020, Chibueze explained that they were to purchase pots, cooking spoons, kerosene, condiments from the capital.
The business is enjoying increasing demand from corporate officers at government’s offices, police stations and individual homes. This is courtesy of the marketing skills of Akinsanoye Akintunde Adedeji, a 30-year old M.Sc physiology graduate.
The youngest of the team is the 21-year old Radiography and Radiological Sciences student, Jayeoba Paulson Esupofo.
Jayeoba said they started with Jollof rice, catfish pepper soup, beans and fried plantains and assorted meats. Now, they have increased from 10 cups of rice daily to 15 cups due to increasing orders.
He stated that “Our first pot of pepper soup was awful. We were not worried since we were only starting out. The second pot, we sold only three plates but all that did not deter us.
“The four of us are like-minded and determined to succeed. We spend sleepless nights preparing our assorted cuisines because of high demands.”
“Only one of us has a car. So, we use the boot of his car to load the few coolers of foods and drive round to deliver the orders.
“We cannot talk about making profits yet. All we are after now is to impress the public. We want to stamp our presence as the number one suppliers of quality foods to our increasing customers in their homes and offices.
“Because of the demand, one of us intends to relocate from Lagos to concentrate fully with the mobile kitchen business,” he added.
“We are proud of what we are doing. At the end of the month, 10% of whatever we put in is shared as our gains”, Jaiyeoba concluded.
They sell as cheap as N300 but for a full course, N500. Full course is complete with pieces of meat, and other assortments.
Rotimi, the CEO, said the determination to succeed made them invest their time, efforts and other resources to improving their business daily.
“We are like-minded and determined to succeed. We are happy at the acceptance and patronage so far. Today, we could not meet the demands.
“However, we will appreciate supports from government band groups. As we intend to encourage many more young people who are now indicating interest to join us,” he said.
