Mr. Tobias Igwe co-founded Speedmeals Mobile Kitchen, an industrial catering outfit in Lagos, with his twin brother. He tells ’FEMI ASU about the growth recorded by the business despite challenges.
What prompted you and your twin brother to start Speedmeals Mobile Kitchen?
We started off as office cleaners in
2006. After the death of our dad in 2009, we were saddled with the
responsibility of taking care of our mum and seven siblings. We then
decided to approach life differently. Titus dropped out of school, the
University of Lagos, while I deferred my admission by one year. We set
out and acquired skills in cake baking and also did a brief
entrepreneurship programme at the Fate Foundation.
2006. After the death of our dad in 2009, we were saddled with the
responsibility of taking care of our mum and seven siblings. We then
decided to approach life differently. Titus dropped out of school, the
University of Lagos, while I deferred my admission by one year. We set
out and acquired skills in cake baking and also did a brief
entrepreneurship programme at the Fate Foundation.
Selling became a challenge. So, we
decided to give children free cakes on Sundays to share with their
parents with the message that “twins make cakes.” We started getting
orders from the kids’ parents as wells as their classmates.
decided to give children free cakes on Sundays to share with their
parents with the message that “twins make cakes.” We started getting
orders from the kids’ parents as wells as their classmates.
We later ventured into wedding cakes and
at a time, people started advising us to also do their catering. We
went for a short training in cooking and established Speedmeals Mobile
Kitchen with a mission to deliver fresh and healthy meals on time to
busy workers in their offices.
at a time, people started advising us to also do their catering. We
went for a short training in cooking and established Speedmeals Mobile
Kitchen with a mission to deliver fresh and healthy meals on time to
busy workers in their offices.
We also started offering catering for
outdoor events such as weddings, corporate meetings and annual general
meetings; and today, the company has evolved with two branches.
outdoor events such as weddings, corporate meetings and annual general
meetings; and today, the company has evolved with two branches.
How has the journey been so far?
It has been challenging and interesting.
We keep learning along the way. One of the things we have learnt on the
journey of entrepreneurship is that one of the main attributes of a
successful entrepreneur is to have passion because as we have found, it
is only our passion that keeps us going when the chips are down. Failure
has been part of the journey. We have failed in recruiting people and
in other areas of administration. But our passion has kept us going.
We keep learning along the way. One of the things we have learnt on the
journey of entrepreneurship is that one of the main attributes of a
successful entrepreneur is to have passion because as we have found, it
is only our passion that keeps us going when the chips are down. Failure
has been part of the journey. We have failed in recruiting people and
in other areas of administration. But our passion has kept us going.
How did you get the initial capital to run the business?
We started with N50,000 saved after the
burial of our dad. Our church helped in raising money for the burial and
we got about N150,000. It was after the burial that we decided to learn
how to bake cakes.
burial of our dad. Our church helped in raising money for the burial and
we got about N150,000. It was after the burial that we decided to learn
how to bake cakes.
What were the major challenges you encountered when you started?
We had people who never believed in us
and they did not take us serious. We didn’t have market access to sell
our products and we didn’t have funds too.
and they did not take us serious. We didn’t have market access to sell
our products and we didn’t have funds too.
How has patronage of your products and services been so far?
We are growing gradually. Now, we manage
canteens, catering facilities and offer catering services for all
events. Our services are available nationwide. Currently, we have 10
full-time employees and we have about 15 to 20 casual workers who go out
with us, although we have an extended list of 100 depending on how big
the job is.
canteens, catering facilities and offer catering services for all
events. Our services are available nationwide. Currently, we have 10
full-time employees and we have about 15 to 20 casual workers who go out
with us, although we have an extended list of 100 depending on how big
the job is.
The beautiful thing is that we have seen
how our business has been able to improve the lives of those who work
with us and the society at large.
how our business has been able to improve the lives of those who work
with us and the society at large.
What challenges do you currently encounter in your business and how are you coping with them?
We need funding. Currently, we are
growing the business with our own funds. There are limited funds for
growing businesses in Nigeria. Even with a good business plan, financial
projection and track record, you don’t stand a chance.
growing the business with our own funds. There are limited funds for
growing businesses in Nigeria. Even with a good business plan, financial
projection and track record, you don’t stand a chance.
What difference are you making with Speedmeals Mobile Kitchen?
Speedmeals has been promoting healthy
eating, youth empowerment and job creation. We recently started what we
call Yeast Project, a sustainable job creation strategy that we
developed to create 20 million jobs in Nigeria within 10 years. We want
to train people in different skills and set up job centres for the
trained, and the trainees will be expected to train others.
eating, youth empowerment and job creation. We recently started what we
call Yeast Project, a sustainable job creation strategy that we
developed to create 20 million jobs in Nigeria within 10 years. We want
to train people in different skills and set up job centres for the
trained, and the trainees will be expected to train others.
Between June and now, we have
successfully organised two different job fairs for Surulere and Apapa
regions, and we recorded a turnout of over 1,500 job seekers. The
testimonies have been overwhelming; some of the attendees got immediate
job offers from companies that exhibited at the fairs, while many
registered for training in different skills.
successfully organised two different job fairs for Surulere and Apapa
regions, and we recorded a turnout of over 1,500 job seekers. The
testimonies have been overwhelming; some of the attendees got immediate
job offers from companies that exhibited at the fairs, while many
registered for training in different skills.
The next challenge is how to provide a
platform to engage them. We are currently running the Yeast Project with
our personal funds. The high rate of unemployment is a serious danger
to the future of Nigeria. The more the number of the unemployed, the
more instability Nigeria will experience. If you trace all the agitation
in Nigeria, they are linked to unemployment.
platform to engage them. We are currently running the Yeast Project with
our personal funds. The high rate of unemployment is a serious danger
to the future of Nigeria. The more the number of the unemployed, the
more instability Nigeria will experience. If you trace all the agitation
in Nigeria, they are linked to unemployment.
We all have a role to play; government
at all levels, the religious bodies, non-governmental organisations and
corporate organisations are contained in the strategy document we have
developed. We need a sustainable approach to youth empowerment and job
creation in Nigeria. The next job fair is slated for October 4, 2016 at
Yaba, Lagos and we are expecting more than 2,000 job seekers to attend.
at all levels, the religious bodies, non-governmental organisations and
corporate organisations are contained in the strategy document we have
developed. We need a sustainable approach to youth empowerment and job
creation in Nigeria. The next job fair is slated for October 4, 2016 at
Yaba, Lagos and we are expecting more than 2,000 job seekers to attend.
We strongly believe that the Yeast
Project’s target of 20 million jobs within 10 years is achievable. We
are starting the pilot scheme with 2,000 people and after that, each
participant will be mandated to train 10 others.
Project’s target of 20 million jobs within 10 years is achievable. We
are starting the pilot scheme with 2,000 people and after that, each
participant will be mandated to train 10 others.
The model is very simple: from
empowering 200 people to 2,000 to 20,000 to 200,000 to 2,000,000 and
then 20,000,000. It is a grassroots-focused strategy. We will train job
seekers in different skills. They will undergo the Yeast Test;
thereafter, they will be moved to the job centres, which we will
establish at different locations in partnership with the public and
private sectors and NGOs.
empowering 200 people to 2,000 to 20,000 to 200,000 to 2,000,000 and
then 20,000,000. It is a grassroots-focused strategy. We will train job
seekers in different skills. They will undergo the Yeast Test;
thereafter, they will be moved to the job centres, which we will
establish at different locations in partnership with the public and
private sectors and NGOs.
Everybody has a role to play in
accelerating job creation. We need collaboration, synergy and
partnerships to ensure the sustainability of the Yeast Project and job
creation in Nigeria. This is the kind of change Nigerians are craving
for.
accelerating job creation. We need collaboration, synergy and
partnerships to ensure the sustainability of the Yeast Project and job
creation in Nigeria. This is the kind of change Nigerians are craving
for.
What are your future plans for the business?
We want to establish a central kitchen
with the capacity to feed 10,000 people daily. We want to give people
the opportunity to run our franchise, thereby creating more jobs and
economic opportunities for young people.
with the capacity to feed 10,000 people daily. We want to give people
the opportunity to run our franchise, thereby creating more jobs and
economic opportunities for young people.
Recently, we established the Feeding
Along Food Bank, a free meal community welfare programme aimed at
delivering food relief to the poor. It is an irony that in developed
countries, there are food relief programmes for those out of jobs or
those affected by disasters; but here in Nigeria, we have nothing of
such.
Along Food Bank, a free meal community welfare programme aimed at
delivering food relief to the poor. It is an irony that in developed
countries, there are food relief programmes for those out of jobs or
those affected by disasters; but here in Nigeria, we have nothing of
such.
We are not just planning to share food
to people, but also putting a strategy in place to assist young farmers
to create a ready market for them by buying directly from them. Over 40
per cent of the food we produce is wasted because of lack of storage
facilities, while so many people have nothing to eat.
to people, but also putting a strategy in place to assist young farmers
to create a ready market for them by buying directly from them. Over 40
per cent of the food we produce is wasted because of lack of storage
facilities, while so many people have nothing to eat.
Government can patronise young farmers
and share meals through the Feeding Along Food Bank. When this food bank
is fully operational, we will be giving out food tickets to those who
are really in need of food.
and share meals through the Feeding Along Food Bank. When this food bank
is fully operational, we will be giving out food tickets to those who
are really in need of food.
We are also planning what we call the Feed an Officer Initiative, which entails free meals for police officers on duty.