Source: Punch Newspaper
Nestlé Nigeria has provided over 2,000 food vendors in Lagos with crucial skills to enhance and sustain their businesses amid increasing operational costs. This initiative, part of the ongoing “Business of Food” workshop series, is designed to help vendors, such as canteens, grillers, and event planners, navigate the challenges of inflation and rising food prices. Now in its ninth edition, the program aims to empower food vendors with practical strategies to remain profitable while continuing to meet their customers’ nutritional needs. The initiative has already impacted thousands of vendors across nine states, extending its reach to urban centers across Nigeria.
Funmi Osineye, Business Manager for Nestlé Professional in Nigeria, emphasized the company’s dedication to supporting local food vendors through challenging economic conditions. She stated, “By offering cost-effective solutions, we hope to ensure that food businesses not only stay profitable but also contribute to the health and well-being of their communities.”
With inflation pressures mounting, many vendors have been forced to reduce the nutritional value of their meals to protect profit margins. Nestlé’s program directly addresses this issue by introducing affordable, nutritious alternatives to traditional ingredients, enabling vendors to continue serving healthy meals without compromising their earnings. Osaretin Okao, Managing Director of Food Bizz Support Services, urged vendors to embrace innovation by adopting new ingredients and refining business practices to maintain their competitiveness.
The workshop also included a cooking competition where participants showcased their culinary skills using alternative ingredients. Meanwhile, Nestlé’s new CEO recently announced a leadership restructuring and revised the company’s sales growth expectations for 2024, which analysts have described as a “painful reset” for the global food giant.
