In 2018, like many fresh graduates, Fredrick Macharia entered the job market brimming with hope and enthusiasm. However, the harsh reality of limited job opportunities quickly set in, making his search for employment an uphill battle.
Determined to make ends meet, Macharia took on various menial jobs, including six grueling months of labor at a construction site. It was during this period that he stumbled upon an idea that would change his life—the business of selling porridge.
“At the construction site, vendors would bring flasks and food containers to sell breakfast and lunch to us,” Macharia recalls. Observing this, he saw an untapped opportunity in the simple yet essential act of providing meals to workers like himself.
Struggling to cover his basic expenses with his construction wages, Macharia decided to take a leap of faith. Teaming up with his foster sister, he relocated to Nakuru and embarked on his new venture. Initially, they started with traditional porridge made from flour, sugar, and water. However, their business took an unexpected turn when they discovered a rising trend—‘super uji.’
Unlike regular porridge, ‘super uji’ was a powerhouse of nutrition, blending organic ingredients such as yams, sorghum, groundnuts, milk, bananas, simsim, stinging nettles, and omena. Recognizing its potential, Macharia and his sister invested Ksh 7,000 in a blender and borrowed an additional Ksh 3,000 for ingredients.
The introduction of ‘super uji’ was a game-changer. Their porridge quickly gained popularity, attracting a loyal customer base. Orders started flowing in, and word-of-mouth referrals helped expand their reach. As demand grew, Macharia and his sister welcomed a mutual partner into the business and hired three employees to assist in selling porridge to offices and establishments across Nakuru.
Thanks to their strategic decisions and relentless hard work, the business flourished. With each bowl of porridge priced between Ksh 70 and Ksh 100, depending on the ingredients, their daily earnings could reach up to Ksh 5,000 on a good day.
“I am happy that people are slowly realizing the importance of returning to traditional foods like yams and sorghum,” Macharia says. “These foods are highly nutritious and help prevent lifestyle diseases.”
What started as a necessity-driven initiative has now blossomed into a thriving enterprise. Through resilience and innovation, Macharia turned a simple idea into a successful business, proving that with determination, even the smallest opportunities can lead to greatness.
