…the story behind Maku Foods
Among other factors, we eat three or more times a day in order to survive. However, given how crucial it is to maintain a healthy diet and keep track of what you put into the body, Maku Foods – a food business that sprouted during the COVID-19 pandemic’s peak (a time when ‘normal’ living was warped) – is championing the cause of ensuring healthy food and making cooking easier.
Even with difficulties presented by the pandemic, the entrepreneur Ms. Caroline Amanor looked above all odds to begin the business – an idea that had been deliberated for some years – with a desire to ensure that people eat right.
She shares her story and journey with this week’s Inspiring Start-ups. Read on.
Background
Caroline has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Ghana. She also took a course on Project Management and other courses at the Ghana Stock Exchange.
After her tertiary education, she had the opportunity to work with organisations as a project assistant and even a restaurant manager.
Caroline grew up with her parents who were also entrepreneurs, and that to some extent inspired her journey.
But with someone who had no formal education about the food space, how was this interest sparked?
Maku Foods
The idea of running this business, according to Caroline, had been on the shelf for more than four years before she executed it in November 2021.
She said during the COVID-19 peak – when eating right to boost the immune system was prioritised – she felt her idea that was lying on the shelf could play a major role.
She therefore started the business after taking courses online, and consulting experts in the food space to learn and meet the market demands. As such, Caroline’s journey today can be attributed to much research, learning and experimenting.
“My experience as a person who loved to eat self-cooked food amid my schedules as a student, and later as a worker, led to the idea’s development.
“The onset of COVID-19 however propelled its commencement, as I wondered how people were getting food in amid the lockdown. Not just any food, but healthy and convenient food that would also have a longer shelf-life,” she narrated.
“Products were developed and tested against assumptions until we had a minimum viable product (MVP). Then we conducted market research and started selling after adjustments were made, based on the findings we got,” she reiterated.
Participating in the business incubation programme for young Agriprenuers, a collaboration between the Kosmos Innovation Centre (KIC) and Mastercard Foundation in 2022, Caroline says she has better-positioned Maku Foods for growth and investor-readiness.
Products
Currently, Maku Foods deals in ready-to-eat foods including shito and green pepper sauce, and also ready-to-use products like Ginger & Garlic paste, onion-pepper paste; chicken, fish, meat marinades; and ‘kelewele’ spice mix.
“Our products are wet variants of seasoning. They are natural, fresh and shelf-stable for one year. They are ready to use – meaning that users do not wash, blend or cut any more ingredients to season their meat.
“Our products, aside from their uniqueness in recipe and taste, are also unique in packaging. We have products in convenient sizes for carrying and for a meal at a time,” she said, responding to being asked what sets her brand apart.
She described her journey as challenging yet promising, since from starting with about GH¢800 the business can currently boost x12 production and employs about 6 people aside from national service personnel – and has a presence in Tamale, Kumasi and Accra.
How experience and education have helped
Having worked as a project assistant and a restaurant manager, experiences from her jobs are still helpful to her current journey – particularly in organising and recipe formulations.
Vision
Maku Foods’ vision in the next five years is to be well-known for ready-to-eat and ready-to-use meals that project the African taste pallete across the continent and on the international market.
Challenges
According to Caroline, one difficulty many startups encounter in expanding their businesses is lack of funding for marketing, equipment for operations that would lead to scaling, as well as market access.
How government can support
Mentoring, whereby start-ups can receive professional assistance on business decision-making, must be prioritised.
She believes that access to loans with no or low interest will be a good approach to supporting SMEs.
“Special media-related grants or collaborations which expose products and services to the market would be a great plus,” Caroline added.
Economic empowerment for women
Caroline considers empowering women to be crucial, given their role in the family system; however, it is very vital in the current dispensation.
She explained that: “We are in a period when there are many challenges in the ecosystem, and an all-hands-on deck approach is needed to solve the world’s problems and challenges”. This is also because women have reached a period when their contribution to national development has been tested and proven to be worthwhile.
“The woman must be empowered, the woman must have the means to see her dreams and solutions prevail; empowering a woman may be just what the world needs today,” she stressed.
Advice to young entrepreneurs
“The quest to be an entrepreneur is in the right direction to help yourself out of financial lack and help society; however, young entrepreneurs should brace themselves and understand that it is not a journey for the faint-hearted.
“It requires daring – but be mindful of how far you dare, it can make or break; but still be daring. Young entrepreneurs should surround themselves with like-minded people and get mentors to guide them. One can fail, but must rise and try again. Failure is part of the opportunities a successful entrepreneur will encounter,” she advised.
Contact details
WhatsApp /Call: 0243270774/ 0501231858
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