Esther Fawole
Nigerian food entrepreneur Oluwayemisi Obe who started her pap business in 2015 in Nigeria , has gain international recognition as her products can be bought in Supermarkets located in US, UK and more.
She has been adding value to the preparation of pap and having it sold in formal retail shops. Oluyemisi Obe established a food processing company called Prothrive Astute Heights to produce high-quality pap with a longer shelf life.
She was inspired by the way most west Africa rely on pap for breakfast and they also complain of unhygienic method preparation of the pap sellers around them. This made her grab the opportunity of producing varieties of high quality pap. Then, she developed the idea and start making research.
The business started daily operations by producing 50kg of its maiden product, Grandios Pap, which was sold from the boot of Obe’s car in churches, mosques and other public places. After securing regulatory approval, she marketed in supermarkets after establishing agreements with distributors and agents. She also took advantage of social media to reach out to potential customers.
Oluwayemisi Obe increased the number of distributors and retailers by building relationships. She also created an online presence through website and social media platforms.
Seven years down the line, Oluwayemisi Obe now produces several tonnes to meet daily demand. She sells in major supermarkets in Nigeria, including Shoprite, Spar, Ebeano, Justrite and other retailers across the country. The product is also on the shelves of supermarkets in the U.S. and UK known for selling made-in-Nigeria products.
Oluwayemisi Obe is already entertaining the idea of expanding into the West African market as part of her medium to long-term goals. Part of her expansion plan is to develop more varieties of the existing products and other traditional foods in smaller pouches for convenience.
Oluwayemisi obe is looking forward to be listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange soon.
