Local Eats Africa is making healthy food accessible and affordable
I’m sure you know how hard it is to access local foods as a city worker. It’s either it’s unavailable, overpriced or of poor quality. A couple had experienced this problem for quite a while and one day, earlier this year, they decided they were tired! And so, they gave birth to this wonderful startup – the one we bring to your radar as the 30th startup of the challenge.
Local Eats commenced its journey on May 19, 2023. The brainchild of a tech-savvy couple, Sheba and Fashola-Oba Ashiodolo both deeply entrenched in the tech sector, faced the common struggle of balancing time, convenience, and an inclination for authentic local meals.
Local Eats Africa addresses three fundamental challenges:
- Affordability: Offering reasonably priced local meals for young urban professionals, curbing unnecessary expenses.
- Tech Inclusion: Providing technology integration opportunities for local restaurant owners, predominantly women.
- Employment Generation: Generating jobs for the youth, directly and indirectly through partnerships.
The initial spark arose when Sheba, hailing from Akwa-Ibom, expressed her discontent with the camp food during her NYSC in Ibadan. The idea was shelved temporarily due to the juggle between work and culinary endeavors. However, their perseverance led them to blend this passion for local meals with the necessity for affordability, culminating in the inception of Local Eats Africa. The first restaurant partnered with was a nearby eatery in Yaba, and rapid expansion ensued, encompassing various city regions.
Local Eats Africa has forged alliances with three food delivery companies, fostering a mutually beneficial relationship. As for rebranding, they transitioned from “Calabar Igbo Restaurants” to “Local Eats Africa” to accommodate a broader range of cuisines.
The path is not without its challenges. Previously accustomed to working with financially stable entrepreneurs, the transition to supporting struggling restaurant owners required a paradigm shift.
Funding predominantly from personal pockets was the norm. Now, the focus is shifting towards partnerships and investments to make a sustainable business model.
Local Eats Africa’s ultimate vision is to transform locally owned restaurants into sustainable, inheritable businesses. They aim to bridge the gap between tradition and modernity by empowering local food joints digitally and enabling their growth.
Let’s give it up for Local Eats Africa.
In this business of revolutionizing Urban dining, they sure deserve accolades.
