Ebele Enunwa’s professional journey began at Deloitte (then Akintola Williams Deloitte), where he served as a youth corper and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in the same year. Transitioning from there, he joined Investment Banking and Trust Company Limited (IBTC, now Stanbic IBTC Bank), starting in the Financial Control department and exploring various other departments and functions within the bank before being selected as the pioneer Regional Manager for the bank’s first regional office in Port Harcourt, a pivotal move that broadened his horizons.
It was during Enunwa’s time in Port Harcourt that he saw the opportunity to build a scalable enterprise in the food services industry and started to start Sundry Foods. They successfully launched the company towards the tail end of 2004. In 2007, recognizing the need to infuse global best practices into the business, he pursued further education in hospitality management, enrolling in a master’s degree program at the Hotel School at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York in the United States. This learning from this program equipped him with the necessary tools to build the foundations of what they have
built today.
Today, Enunwa proudly wears multiple hats: A Chartered Accountant and former Investment Banker turned Hospitality/Food Services Professional and Retailer extraordinaire. His diverse background has endowed him with a unique perspective, enabling him to navigate challenges and innovate within
various industries. Through each chapter of his career, he has remained committed to continuous learning and leveraging his skills to drive growth and excellence in every endeavour. He is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sundry Foods Limited.
What business growth strategies have contributed to the company’s continued success?
Our journey to success has been with meticulous market analysis to understand gaps in the food service sector. This foresight strategically positioned us to fulfil unmet consumer needs, paving the way for our expansion. We have also continuously innovated and diversified our offerings to outpace competitors
and enabled us to tap into new markets while adapting our offerings to shifting consumer demands.
A customer-centric approach lies at the heart of our growth strategy, focusing on exceptional culinary experiences for our customers. By prioritizing customer satisfaction and actively seeking feedback, we’ve fostered a loyal customer base, driving repeat purchases, rising revenue and profitability.
We are also focused on investing in our people through consistent and impactful training in their core areas of operation. Through this, we have elevated the levels of execution of our services, which has moved the needle for us as a company.
We recognize the importance of strategic partnerships and have continued to develop and maintain them through the years. These collaborations have expanded our reach and fortified our competitive edge by leveraging complementary strengths.
Lastly, our commitment to continuous improvement ensures we lead in innovation. Regular evaluations and proactive measures solidify our position, maintaining our competitive edge in the market.
In your capacity as the Chief Executive Officer of Sundry Foods Ltd, how well has the business
performed in terms of attaining its objectives?
I would say that the business has performed exceptionally well in attaining its objectives. Over the past years, we’ve seen significant growth in several key areas, including expansion, revenue, market share, profitability, and customer satisfaction.
Our revenue has surpassed projections, thanks to strategic initiatives aimed at expanding our customer base and increasing sales across our various business units. Additionally, our market share has expanded, demonstrating our ability to compete effectively in a highly competitive industry.
Furthermore, our focus on customer satisfaction has yielded positive results, with feedback indicating high levels of satisfaction with our products and services. We’ve implemented measures to ensure that we consistently meet and exceed customer expectations, resulting in increased loyalty and repeat
business.
Overall, I’m proud of the achievements of Sundry Foods Ltd and confident in our continued success moving forward.
Comparing Nigerian professionals to their foreign counterparts in terms of quality service delivery, do you think foreign professionals outperform Nigerians?
For me, it’s important to acknowledge that the service quality can vary significantly among professionals regardless of nationality. While there may be instances where foreign professionals demonstrate expertise and efficiency in certain areas, it’s not accurate to make a blanket statement that they consistently outperform Nigerian professionals.
Nigeria boasts a wealth of talented individuals across various fields who put the country on the map for all the right reasons and are dedicated to top-notch delivery in everything they do. In my experience, factors such as adequate and consistent training, exposure, experience, work ethic, and access to
resources among others play crucial roles in determining the quality of service delivery, regardless of nationality.
I feel that it is very key to focus on enhancing the skills and capabilities of professionals, regardless of their background, through continuous training, mentorship, and creating conducive work environments. By nurturing talent and fostering a culture of excellence, organizations like Sundry Foods
can ensure that their team members, regardless of nationality, consistently deliver high-quality service to customers.
How do you manage feedback from your esteemed customers?
Handling feedback and complaints from our valued customers is a top priority here at Sundry Foods. We make sure our customers have various ways to share their thoughts with us, whether it’s through email, phone, or social media. Our dedicated team is trained to listen attentively, understand their concerns, and find solutions that work for everyone. We respond promptly and aim to resolve issues effectively, following up to ensure our customers are happy with the outcome.
We believe every complaint is an opportunity for us to learn and improve, so we take them seriously and use them to make positive changes wherever needed. Our goal is to maintain open and transparent communication throughout the process, showing our customers that we genuinely care about their
experience with us.
What challenges does your organization currently face in preserving a moral and ethical corporate environment?
For us, preserving a moral and ethical corporate environment is a top priority. However, it’s not without its challenges especially when operating in an environment where moral decadence is the order of the day. One of the difficulties we face is ensuring that ethical considerations are consistently integrated
into our decision-making processes, especially in situations where there are competing interests or threats to sustainability or profitability.
Additionally, fostering a corporate culture that promotes integrity and accountability requires ongoing effort, as we strive to sustain an environment where employees feel empowered to speak up about ethical concerns without fear of retaliation. In aiming to stay above board and ensuring everyone connected to the Sundry brand does so too, we find ourselves embedded in educating our people to understand the issues surrounding ethics and professionalism and helping them understand the nuances around decision-making to maintain the high standards that we want to uphold in this regard.
Another challenge lies in ensuring ethical practices in our sourcing of materials, where we must carefully vet suppliers and monitor compliance with labour, environmental, and fair-trade standards. Despite these challenges, we are committed to upholding our ethical values and continuously improving our practices to meet the expectations of our stakeholders.
What are the projections for the next 5 years in portfolio expansion?
Our projections for portfolio expansion over the next five years are optimistic yet grounded in strategic planning. We aim to diversify our product offerings to meet evolving consumer preferences and capture new market opportunities. This expansion may include introducing innovative food concepts or leveraging emerging trends in the food service industry among others.
Our goal is to maintain a balance between staying true to our core competencies and embracing new avenues for growth, ensuring that any expansion aligns with our overall business objectives and enhances value for our customers and shareholders. While the specifics of our portfolio expansion strategy may evolve in response to market dynamics and competitive forces, our commitment to delivering high-quality products and exceptional customer experiences remains unwavering.
Ultimately we hope to attain the pinnacle of our industry and profession within this time frame as a testament to all our efforts throughout the over 2 decades before.
