There are many business opportunities in Tanzania, but itÔÇÖs only with the right guidance that any enthusiastic entrepreneur can succeed.
Jaki Kweka, together with his business partner, cofounded Chocolate Mamas Gourmet, a Tanzanian Chocolate Company making waves in the luxury artisan chocolate market in Africa.
Jaki is a Lawyer, but made a radical career move to a luxury artisan chocolatier. She is now focused on making the business a great brand.
Tell Us About Your Journey To Becoming An Entrepreneur In Tanzania?
I was a lawyer before I started making chocolate. The business idea came up one day when I was having a dinner and drinks with my business partner and our better halves about three years ago. It was among many business ideas that we had that time. We initially wanted to open some sort of patisserie, making top-end chocolate delectables; however, we looked at the challenge of getting a reliable, constant supply of quality chocolate in Tanzania. We talked about it and realized that this was a space in the market that we could fill and thatÔÇÖs how we founded the chocolate company.
Why Did You Choose Your Entrepreneurship Over Your Career?
This was quite a career move for me, but I used to bake pastries and sell them to family members, friends, and also as a sideline business while still working as a lawyer. So, I wouldnÔÇÖt say this is something I started out of the blues. I had passion for it, but didnÔÇÖt have the courage until that point when I decided to make it a real business.
What Are The Challenges You Have Faced So Far As An Entrepreneur In Tanzania?
The two main challenges faced by entrepreneurs in Tanzania are the unavailability of credit to expand and unreliable power grid. Let me give a good example, when we were relocating our business, our production went down because the area had low voltage. We had to use a generator to run our machines and the low voltage damaged our machines eventually. These challenges were very big at that time and difficult to solve. But these challenges are real in Tanzania. However, if you have passion for something and what you are doing has a great potential, then you can find a solution around the challenges.
One of the main challenges we are facing is related to chocolate itself, and since there is no other business making chocolate in Tanzania, it means that this is what many people had to get used to. When we started the chocolate company, people were a bit skeptical about the locally made product. But those who have tried out product have liked it.
Where Do You See Your Business In The Next Few Years?
The interesting thing about Tanzania is that there is an increased interest in chocolate and the export of cocoa. So, this is good for everyone. We have seen people from abroad taking interesting in our chocolate, but we are still a small company. So, we are excited about the prospects of expanding since we now know that we can export our chocolate and do well.
How Is The Current Global Media Attention Raining Awareness About Your Products And Company?
ItÔÇÖs certainly helping. We are planning to expand regionally into Nairobi, Kigali and Kampala. But after achieving this short term plan, we will slowly expand into U.S and Europe. Therefore, we are definitely planning to export in the future.