Profitable sister act

Samantha and Natalie Mwedekeli are the proprietors of Mama Rocks, a fast food joint, The Alchemist (Nairobi). PHOTO| MAMA ROCKS

What you need to know:

  • We would go out to eat and drink and hang out in places that millennials favoured to study their consumption habits, particularly their food consumption habits.
  • Our business is an extension of ourselves. As a young person, it is easier to understand what products a youthful clientele likes. We also strive to reflect a modern Africa through our foods, not the stereotypical or traditional Africa the rest of the world imagines.
  • Despite operating in a plush neighbourhood, the young entrepreneurs have devised ways to cut operating expenses; these include operating from a truck.
  • For the duo, working with a youthful staff of 16, most under 30 years, is what keeps their ideas fresh and flowing.

These two young women, born of Kenyan and Nigerian parents, spent the best part of their life in the UK, where they also studied.

On return to Kenya in September 2014, the duo spotted the business potential the country had, but were unsure of what to focus on. Eventually, they settled on food, but they knew that to run a flourishing venture, they needed to first understand their target audience – the Kenyan youth. And so started their research.

Samantha, the eldest of the two, narrates,

“We would go out to eat and drink and hang out in places that millennials favoured to study their consumption habits, particularly their food consumption habits. We would also attend various functions targeting the youth and mingle with them. This refined our understanding of the nature of business we were getting into.”
The pair had a significant shortcoming though: neither of them had any professional background in cookery.
Says Samantha,
“Natalie studied business management while I studied law – to counter this shortcoming, we sought full time jobs in local restaurants to understand the Kenyan food market.”

Once they felt they had enough knowledge to step into the food business, they approached their parents for funding. They were not enthusiastic.

‘‘They had reservations about investing in a crowded food market; it was difficult to convince them, but eventually, our passion and determination won them over; they agreed to invest in our idea,” Samantha says.

MELTING POT OF FLAVOURS

Mama Rocks, which operates from a truck in Westland’s The Alchemist Bar, thus came into being on the eve of the New Year 2015. The restaurant serves mainly burgers, sauces, salads, milkshakes, coffee and other foods and drinks popular with the youth. They also offer outside catering.
“We were motivated by the desire to create a brand that celebrated Africa. A brand born in Africa that would be embraced internationally. We decided that burgers would be the best vehicle for this. At Mama Rocks Burger Kitchen, we make exciting burgers inspired by cuisines from across Africa using premium ingredients such as grass-fed beef from Ol Pejeta in Laikipia, corn-fed chicken and butter Brioche bread buns.”
The restaurant’s menu borrows heavily from the Kenyan, Nigerian and English cultures, elements the three have been socialised in.
‘‘The UK, and particularly London, has a rich cultural diversity. Growing up there therefore, we were exposed to a variety of foods. This taught us about how exciting and adventurous food can be. Thanks to our mother and kin from Nigeria, we were more exposed to Nigerian cuisine,” says Natalie, adding that the Kenyan cultural influence at the time was subtle and delayed.
It wasn’t until they moved to Kenya that the two got a sense of the Kenyan food culture, and drew inspiration for their restaurant.


“Our suya, Nigeria’s answer to nyama choma, and our “only the brave” hot sauce were directly influenced by Nigerian cuisine. The ‘‘Mango Maasai Mama’’, our most popular burger, and the Ushago-at which we will launch soon, are Kenyan-inspired.”

CORNERING THE MARKET

If you hope to start a business that targets millennials, the sisters emphasise the importance of tailoring products and services to suit youth’s preferences.
Samantha says,
“Our business is an extension of ourselves. As a young person, it is easier to understand what products a youthful clientele likes. We also strive to reflect a modern Africa through our foods, not the stereotypical or traditional Africa the rest of the world imagines. Our menu is daring and fun and the service is informal and friendly, which is what young people prefer.’’
The sisters extensively use Instagram to market their business, arguing that social media is the most effective way a brand can interact with young prospective clients.
“We also go with our truck to events where young people like to go to. Our brand promotes self-expression and doing things differently – values that young people resonate with,” she says.
For the duo, working with a youthful staff of 16, most under 30 years, is what keeps their ideas fresh and flowing.
Natalie says,
“We encourage innovativeness among our employees and actively seek ideas from them, which keeps the business connected to what young people want to eat and drink.”

In 2016, the Mwedekelis were recognised as food influencers by EatOut’s Yummy Magazine, a recognition they say has boosted sales at the restaurant. PHOTO| COURTESY| MAMA ROCKS


Samantha adds,
“We seek to make people happy through food. Passion is crucial to the success of any business. It is the one thing that will keep you going even when times get tough. And believe us, running a business is far from easy.”
Despite operating in a plush neighbourhood, the young entrepreneurs have devised ways to cut operating expenses; these include operating from a truck.

‘‘We deliberately chose a truck because a brick and mortar space would have been more expensive. We focus on reducing waste rather than reducing quality, which is what most restaurants do. We also try to source fresh meat and vegetables from nearby stores, rather than buying from the city centre to avoid unnecessary transport costs. It is such little things that eventually matter in a business.’’

In 2016, the Mwedekelis were recognised as food influencers by EatOut’s Yummy Magazine, a recognition they say has boosted sales at the restaurant.
‘‘It was truly an honour to be recognised for our efforts. This has allowed us to be part of an amazing food campaign, and as contributors to the magazine, we are proud to be driving conversations about great food,’’ says Samantha

A fast-foods restaurant, Natalie says, may just be the business for a young person who is patient and willing to work round the clock, because this is the only way to reap benefits in this industry.