The Chief Executive, Britts Foods, Belema Alagun, whose passion to make food readily available, and affordable, has established a fresh food distribution business in Lagos.Female entrepreneurs are achieving their dreams by taking their industries by the storm. They are almost in every industry – food, real estate, fashion, healthcare and the environment.
One of them is Chief Executive, Britts Foods, Belema Alagun. She started her food company last year. A lawyer, Belema came up with the idea of a food supply business when she noticed a gap in the market.
She had difficulties getting fresh produce. From a very young age, she had developed an appreciation for quality food and a love for cooking. Later, she spent time learning about food and exploring new ways of cooking and eating.
She said: “I love food, being healthy and feeling great.There was no access to clean fresh vegetables. As a young busy working professional, I would finish work and rush off to the nearby supermarket to pick up unwashed vegetables which I add to my meal preparation. What I found will either not be fresh or the store had run out of it. Life was tough and then one day, I thought there might be other people facing this same issue – that is how this dream for Britts Foods came.”
She started with N70,000, supplying fresh produce, breakfast and lunch to individuals and organisations. The company produces meals. She also runs a take-away outlet. Today, the business is worth N9.5 million. She has four workers. The business is providing enough money to pay her bills. She is happy to have founded a local food canteen and catering firm that promotes a sustainable and healthy lifestyle.
Besides, she prides herself in using local ingredients; not because this supports the farmers, but because fresh, healthy ingredients fresh from the farms taste best. Her products include honey-glazed chicken salad, fish fillet salad, egg salad, bacon salad, avocado corn spring salad, shrimp salad, pasta salad and grilled potatoes.The ingredients in the company’s food are available. Her experiences and history with the challenges of getting fresh food has given her a passion and the drive to succeed.
However, transiting from a simple idea to a full-fledged business posed certain challenges. From getting supplies from farmers, to transportation and getting the produce to customers in time -all these present challenges. Despite the demand for local, sustainable food, operators are not able to meet them because of insufficient infrastructure and logistics for getting food to markets and consumers.
Belema has diversified into the logistics business. For her, there are so many opportunities in the area, including those that provide marketing services. She sees the value the business has added to the community. Her logistics business plays a critical role in moving her food to market, contributing to the economic success of not only her firm, but all those involved in the food chain.
It’s a smart business that plays to Belema’s strengths in dealing with people, but it’s also a business that requires attention to detail. For her, being a good leader takes time. She has found that staff are motivated differently.
As she reflects on her successes, what gives her satisfaction is her abaility to provide Nigerians with good food.
To stay ahead, she is fine-tuning as the company grows. She has taught herself so many things, from sourcing ingredients, co-packing, and packaging.Her experience reinforces the fact that wearing many hats is part of the deal.
Source-thenationonlineng.net
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