Godwin Mukoro is the managing director of Artos Bakehouse Limited. He is an entrepreneur with 10 years experience in the Bakery industry. He spoke with Josephine Okojie on the challenges in setting up a bakery in Nigeria and the proposed 20 percent cassava flour Policy by the Government.
What inspired the business?
After ten years in Sainsbury , I wanted to go to Dubai to earn tax free money , but I did not get the right offer to Dubai, the offers that was coming was from Canada and Shoprite in south Africa, but I never really got any offer from Dubai were I wanted to go because it is tax free. I decided to come back home and do what I have been doing for years in England.
What was your startup capital?
I have spent N40 million on the business but the total cost is more than that because I spent six months planning in England but when I came to Nigeria I had to drop the plan because it did not work in Nigeria. I had to start planning for another six months again in Nigeria. There is also emotional cost. I have not seeing my wife and child for the past one year, I left my family in England.
Have you received any external support that has helped you to establish the business?
No, I have two investors investing in it. I sold the business idea to them.
Can you tell me a little about your background, that is your educational and work experience?
I am graduate of Mathematics and Economics, worked with Samsung for a year, worked with Apple for months before joining Sainsbury. I use to work for Sainsbury ltd, as the national supply chain analyst for bread and cake. I managed over one thousand stores across London and I did that for ten years after which I resigned last year looking for new opportunities.
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Considering the different market and business environment what makes you believe that the Nigerian market is for your product?
If I can sell five million a week in a country with a population of 60 million, imagine what I can do with a country of 170 million people if I get the product right with the right price. Nigerians love new things so the idea is to create a product that has value with quality at the same time.
What do you think about the proposed Federal government policy of 20 percent cassava flour inclusion in bread making?
I don’t manipulate demand, let the customer choose. Instead of the government to force bakers to implement the policy, the government should encourage farmers to grow wheat. 95 percent of wheat we consume in Nigeria is being imported. Nigeria is the second largest importer of wheat in the world after china, the policy is not fixing the problem it is fixing the effect. The land is there, all the government need to do is to encourage the youth that are unemployed to go into wheat farming. It takes less than two years for wheat to grow.
What are the challenges you experience in the business and how where you able to overcome them?
The quality of people has been my biggest challenge. Trying to get the right people to do the job has been difficult. The quality of people have been poor, the few ones with good quality are very expensive and access to funds those not exist in Nigeria. Power surge is another major challenge I am facing. If you don’t plan for power it can kill your business.
Do you have employees, fulltime or part time?
I have 14 employees and they are all fully employed.
Any future plans for the business?
We are looking at opening more bakeries like having 20 stores across Lagos.
How do you intend to overcome competitors?
I have quality as a cutting edge over my competitors.
Your advice to other entrepreneurs?
They must believe they can succeed. Don’t quit.
Josephine Okojie
