A Kenyan lady, Doline Nyabati has shared her success story of making Kenyan delicacies in the U.S. and shipping them across states in the country.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke in an interview, Doline narrated that she arrived in the U.S. accompanied by her family.
Doline recounted how she prioritised seeking certification as a Certified Nurse Assistant, where she would be a caregiver. The healthcare job did not last long.
However, she came up with the business, 'Authentic Kenyan Dishes' which she has now registered after acquiring a certification in the food industry.
Doline’s business which focuses on making Kenyan delicacies serves a diverse range of dishes such as chapati, mahamri, “ngumu” and samosas. She ships the food across the country through the postal service.
“My love for Kenyan cuisine and passion for food was my first inspiration to start a food business here, in the USA you can rarely find ”good food” and people are too busy to even cook hence running such a business is a good opportunity for growth even as we bring the Kenyan name along to growth, explained Doline.
Nyambati revealed that her fastest-selling delicacies are chapatis and samosas with 20 chapatis retailing at Ksh 8100 ($60) and 20 samosas at Ksh 6750 ($50) based on the prevailing dollar exchange rate.
When questioned about any challenges in the business, she cited that it was difficult for her to get the Kenyan flavours forcing her to ship products from Kenya at times.
“I shop for Kenyan flavours from stores that sell them and at times ship from home. It is a challenge to get authentic Kenyan flavours and even when you do they are very pricey”, explained Doline
Doline also disclosed that she looks forward to expanding her business to feature vegan diets and nutritional advice for clients to clients on-site.
“Yes, I look forward to expanding my business and diversifying it. I would love to maintain the African cuisine but open a sister that deals with Vegan meals whereby people are going to eat for health, we will get nutritionists and a nurse on-site to guide on different diets for different people,” stated Nyambati.
However, Doline reiterated her commitment and love for Kenya citing that she aims to return home and retire within the country.
