Entrepreneur of the Month
I will start by saying the economic reality will be nothing to write home about if the agricultural sector is neglected. Not because it's my area of speciality but you need well fed people to turn the tide around. Enjoy this exclusive interview Chiamaka Uzioma had with Perpetua Ezinne Nnamuchi.
Can we meet you?
Hi! My name is Perpetua Ezinne Nnamuchi. I'm from Obinagu Nike Enugu East L.G.A Enugu State Nigeria. I'm a 26 years old graduate of Agricultural Economics and Extension in Enugu State University of Science and Technology.
By the grace of God I run my baking and catering business at Nature Fresh Bakes & Events Enugu (your home of exquisite foods & services) The business grew out of passion for exquisite and healthy meals and was further strengthened by the need to combat hunger and malnutrition as we thrive to make the Sustainable Development Goals Number 2 (Zero Hunger) a reality.
I observed my National Service at Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources Ilorin Kwara State under the department of Agricultural and Engineering Services.
I'm also an Alumni Creative Writing SAED Kwara, a family that polished my right to write. Some of the works include: Sweet tra-p-tap-trap-pp, Angel Descending (2019 International Essay Contest for Young People: The Gio Peace Foundation Tokyo Japan) and lots more.
Aside baking and cooking for events, I'm a lover of nature, children and social change which was the reason I created Nature Kollezions (House of Periodical) ensuring that every word we pen down be a catalyt to transform humanity for sustainable development and livelihood.
During my undergraduate years, I was the General Secretary from 2013-2015, Vice President (2015-2016) then the Vice President/Sisters Coordinator (2016-2017) in the Redeemed Christian Fellowship (RCF) ESUT Agbani. Participant 3days Workshop: The Presidency NEPAD Climate Smart Agriculture Nigeria, Participant Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) Conference UNN 2017 amongst others.
The Games Prefect 2010/2011 in FGGC Ezzamgbo during my Secondary School Days. Also represented in various FEDCOL Games, inter school relays, French Competition and lots more.
In 2004/2005, I was the School Regulator/Library Prefect/Class Prefect during my Primary School days in Santa Rosa Children School Emene Enugu. Also represented the school in inter cultural competition and primary school sport competitions.
I also manage my mum's poultry/livestock farm to strengthen my discipline and grow my career in agriculture. I'm a poet by factory setting (talent), spoken word artiste by nature (public speaking skill), *philanthropist* by future calling 🙃🙂
I love adventures, research, travelling and basking in nature.
All I can ask for is God's grace to be an ambassador of peace and service to humanity when opportunities keep calling.
What's your take on the present economic reality?
The present economic reality is really scary but we are hopeful the tides will turn. If every sector diligently do the needful especially during this period of the COVID-19 Pandemic then there will be no need for panic in the Post Pandemic period.
I will start by saying the economic reality will be nothing to write home about if the agricultural sector is neglected. Not because it's my area of speciality but you need well fed people to turn the tide around. A hungry fellow will be a havoc especially when critical policy making and decision processes may arise in other sector of the economy. Havoc I mean- at the state of hunger, one is critically unstable.
If there is any sector to be looked into economically- it should be the food sector. The farmers should be supported to the grass root and given subsidies and incentives to really boost food production.
The household should start practicing gardening- it's truly helpful. Let the mindset of farming is drudery be erased with a farmer is a saviour of mankind with the food he/she produce.
Once the food production and food supply chain are truly secured and covered, we should be rest assured that the present economic reality will smile on till forever.
*Before the lock down how was sales and have you had to lay workers off?*
😊 I'm truly grateful, before I proceed I will love to do a run down of our business
Nature Fresh Bakes & Events Enugu... your home of exquisite foods & services. Our services include Confectionery, Indoor & Outdoor Catering Services for exquisite satisfaction of our customers.
We are still in our infancy stage but believe to have our outlets and pick up points nationwide to give our customers nothing but exquisite meals & services.
Before the lock down we've been getting orders for birthday cakes, chin chin, meatpies and cooking for events from our customers.
But everything changed immediately the announcement for not more than 20 gathering was passed to general public, no burial, no birthday parties and lots more.
We have not laid off workers (as my workers are assistance from my amiable brothers and industrial tools that have made the whole work easier)🙂 But we hope to employ more hands after the pandemic.
We still receive orders from customers especially home delivery.
How have you been able to maximize online sales?
At Nature Fresh Bakes & Events Enugu we hold our customer with great esteem. We bake, We train and We Cook!
We have our Facebook Page: Nature Fresh Bakes & Events
We also have our Whatsapp Pre-Order Group:
https://chat.whatsapp.com/LkSHJRMB8fW8HFHIbtxre9 where we let our customers place their orders for their mouth watering food dreams to become a reality 😊
Our customers can reach us via email: nature.fresh.bakes.events@gmail.com
We are still working on the Instagram handle so as to satisfy our customers exquisitely.
What advice do you have for entrepreneurs in leveraging the internet?
My advice to the risk and reward personalities out there is to stay true at their niches. Don't back off that vision even when the going gets tough. For your business to thrive, let your work speak louder for you especially on the internet...get the graphics to be lit, get a writer polish your content and then watch your business grow...Patience is key...you may not be getting those likes and heart warming feedbacks but be your own cheerleader, keep pushing your work online you will be amazed by the gallery you've built and the story you've painted in no distance time. Rekindle the vision in the minds of your customers both offline and online.
Since the lock down, how have you sourced for materials in making your products?
It hasn't been easy sourcing materials for products production especially during this period of lock.
We ran out of stock and getting another bulk has been a challenge since the main market is locked down too.
The transport too has escalated and it's affecting our profit rate too.
We focused more on indoor catering service for now to ensure we give our customers maximum satisfaction.
We hope everything goes back to normal by the grace of God.
Post covid-19, what new methods are you planning to apply to your business?
Like I said earlier, the food sector should be given adequate attention because all other sector are dependent on it. Since most of the material we use for production is from the food sector, we have no options than to devise ways to produce our raw materials for ourselves. We also want to expand our supply chains and doing that requires employing more hands to boost the production rate and as well combat hunger and malnutrition.
We also want to rebrand our online presence to mention but a few.
To our esteemed customers, please continue to stay safe, observe proper hygiene and most importantly eat exquisitely because exquisite food is life
Thank you so much for your time and privilege. Long live Creative Writing SAED Ilorin Kwara State.
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