You’re quite famous for your delicious banana bread. How did banana bread become the star of the show?

The brand started as a full-service online restaurant in 2017 and we offered freshly cooked meals to customers across Lagos, Nigeria. The lockdown in March 2020 however made the logistics of getting fresh ingredients daily challenging. So, I thought of a product that wouldn’t require frequent market runs and Banana bread stood out to me.

We already offered Banana bread on our menu, so it wasn’t difficult to start with that. We could buy the ingredients in bulk to last us a week or 2 and work on different flavors. We started in my kitchen around April 2020 using a domestic oven that bakes only 8 loaves at a time. Less than 2 months after, due to the increased demand, we upgraded to a commercial oven and tripled our capacity. 

The increased demand was sustained, and we moved to a commercial building in February 2021 to scale production and open our doors to walk-in customers. We attracted the interests of brands like Peak, Nestle, Baileys, and Nigerian Breweries on partnership opportunities and that pushed the brand into the limelight. Today, we bake hundreds of loaves daily, deliver to all parts of Lagos including some states across Nigeria and cater to corporate events, weddings, and individual orders. 

What is your favorite flavor to have on the banana bread menu?

As for my favorite, truth be told, it’s hard for me to answer that because everything on the menu qualifies as my favorite! 

How do you manage to come up with creative combos for your banana bread that customers know and love?

We listen to our customers and get feedback on what they like in our current assortment and what they would like to explore. We also look at ingredients that are best sellers and find combinations that would be received well. 

One of the things you are good at is consistently showing up on social media to connect with your audience and promote your products. What has been the most challenging part about that?

I would say the most challenging part is having to make some part of your life visible and finding the energy to keep at it. That being said, I like connecting with our customers. They are dear to us and the feedback/support they return to us is what drives me to keep showing up. We are fortunate to have a wonderful customer base and we would do what we need to do to make them in sync with the brand.

How have you managed to keep the business successful with the cost of food rising at an alarming rate in Nigeria?

That is one of our biggest challenges as a business. The cost of production is rising so quickly, and it is gradually outpacing the general purchasing power. We just try to be more efficient with our production so we can realize some cost savings, but even with that, it’s tough. We are trying so hard not to review prices to see if we can weather the storm, but it’s tough.

As the co-founder of a business, a mother, and a wife, you wear so many hats. How has entrepreneurship impacted you on a personal level?

Thankfully, I have a supporting husband who has stood by me through the whole process. It’s a tough balancing act, but I put in extra time not to let other parts of my life suffer. I have 2 lovely kids and they are my priority. It just means that I have to work extra hard to balance the need and demand for my time.

Being an entrepreneur is incredibly time-consuming, and so demanding that if you are not careful, the business needs and ambition can drown your personal life. What has helped me is to first understand and acknowledge that I can’t do everything by myself. Where possible, I consider outsourcing because my time is much more useful applied to other things.

Is there any advice you have for Lagos food business owners who are just starting out?

Build authenticity into your brand and use social media to drive growth. People like convenience, but they are thrilled when a brand brings that convenience. It’s similar to the excitement you get when a family member buys food for you on their way home. Having your food delivered is convenient but having a relatable brand deliver feels wholesome. 

Where do you see Gourmet Twist in the next 3-5 years?

Our future ambition is two-pronged. Firstly, to expand beyond Lagos and deliver our menu of items to people in other parts of Nigeria. Secondly, to scale our physical presence so people can drive to the nearest Gourmet Twist shop to pick up, instead of ordering and waiting for it to be delivered. 

Rapid fire round Banoreo or Double Chocolate?

Double Chocolate

Banana x White Choc or Orange Choc?