The influx of artificially modified foods and spices in the open market with its resultant adverse health effects on consumers prompted Adanna Uche to establish Ady’s Food Mart in Nigeria on the African continent. Her mission is to raise awareness and motivate local communities and families to choose healthier nutritious food and spices.
Grim picture
Health experts encourage and recommend healthy foods for its multiple benefits, such as, among others, protection against chronic non-communicable diseases (cancer, diabetes and heart conditions.) Statistics paint a grim picture of malnourishment on the African continent.
Zero additives and preservatives
Ady’s Food Mart, an agro-business, processes and packages healthy food ingredients, herbs, seasonings and spices. These contain less or no additives and preservatives, leading to the products becoming sought-after in Lagos. Produced using state-of-the-art equipment following environmentally-friendly sustainable practices, there is no denying the health benefits.
Adanna’s ultimate goal is to grow Ady’s Food Mart into a recognised brand and becoming an integral part of the entire agricultural value chain across Africa. She also aims to introduce African cuisine to international markets and ensure high standards to compete with other global delicacies.
Weathering the storms
Uche is a Foreign Languages and Literature graduate with no previous entrepreneurship expertise. She says Ady’s Food Mart was her third business attempt after two of her former enterprises collapsed due to lack of experience and finance. But this did not dampen her entrepreneurial spirit and she thinks it is successful because it embodies something “I really love doing”. Since childhood she always loved food and cooking, she says.
She was able to set up Ady’s with a loan from her brother and while admitting that it had not been easy, she is grateful that Ady’s Food Mart is fast becoming a household name across Nigeria today.
Incredible team
Uche says she could not have made it without the assistance of her team of dedicated individuals. It comprises of an IT consultant whose responsibility is to ensure Ady’s Food Mart has an effective and strong digital presence while a business development expert advises and explores additional opportunities to ensure the company’s growth. A financial expert handles all financial obligations and sees to it that targets are met and that the company remains solvent. A social media manager drives the company’s marketing portfolio. With this formidable team, Uche is confident her company would continue growing and increasing its footprint. She says what ultimately gives her the most satisfaction is to see communities and families embracing the notion of eating healthy and nutritious food.
