EWEDU POWDER AND MORE: MEET DEBORAH OYEDOKUN, FOUNDER, ARA IYE BIYE FOODS

 

By: Emmanuel Omolayo.

A pack of ewedu powder might seem like just an easy go-to for a meal, but in the background is a student quietly growing her brand, from ewedu powder to dried ponmo, bean powder, dried fishes and spices. In this interview, she shares the story behind ewedu powder and what's next for Ara Iye Biye Foods.

Interviewer: Hello Deborah, I'm Emmanuel, a correspondent with FATSSSA Press. Thanks for making time for this interview. I'm really excited to discuss with you about your brand, Ara Iyebiye Foods. To start with, let's talk about ewedu powder, what's the story behind it?

Deborah: Hi Emmanuel.

Good morning.

Thanks for reaching out also.

Alright.

It all started when I was in 200 level, things were kind of tight financially and nothing was really coming. I sought advice from close and elderly friends on what to do and a sister (I call her my sister because she is) advised me to start a business, and with that I started thinking...

I got advice on selling chin chin or kuli kuli. It sounded so nice, but I just felt that was too simple for me. The idea wasn't just interesting to me.

Then after days of brooding, it just clicked!

I remembered that while growing up, my mum usually bought ewedu leaves and dried them to store at home. So cooking ewedu soup, became an easy feat. 

That was how the idea came, and I started making plans towards it.

Interviewer: Interesting, could you kindly walk me through the process of how ewedu powder is made, from sourcing the leaves to packaging it?

Deborah: Yeah, it is a very rigorous process actually.

I purchase the ewedu leaves in bulk, because there's a way it's sold in the market. Then I come home, pick the leaves carefully while separating the yellow ones from the ones that are still very green to avoid any stains whatsoever. Also, I have to pick the leaves that day because if it lingers to the next day, the leaves would turn yellow and it would no longer be good for processing.

So, after picking, I wash them thoroughly with clean water, twice or more, depending on how clean the ewedu leaves are, then I sun-dry it.

Depending on how sunny the weather is, it takes only a day for the leaves to get dry.

When the leaves dry up, I then pack it up and mash it with a mortar and pestle and fine tune it with my hands. I want to make sure that it still leaves the particles that will show up in your ewedu soup that you cook, where it's not totally smoothened, so as to bring out the normal effect.

After that, it's measured and packed inside a nylon, and sealed.

Interviewer: It really is a rigorous process.

Deborah: Yes it is. And it has been difficult merging business with my academic life. 

Interviewer: Hmmm... So, how do you manage shelf life and quality of the product?

Deborah: Well, the shelf life and quality of the product is managed firstly by carefully selecting the leaves like I mentioned earlier. The leaves are thoroughly washed to prevent dirt and then dehydrated to remove moisture, when the dried leaves are ground into powder, the low moisture content helps extend the product's shelf life.

Also, the powder is stored in a tightly sealed nylon bag to preserve its freshness and nutritional value pending the time customers come for it.

Interviewer: Who are your main customers and how do they find out about your products?

Deborah: From when I started and currently, my main customers have been students. I created a flyer which I send to some WhatsApp groups I'm in, like my hostel groups, department market group and my fellowship's market group also.

And yeah, I post on my WhatsApp status too.

Interviewer: What has been your challenges, since you started running this business?

Deborah: Well for now, people buy in hostels, so the problem of location and delivery has not been really pressing.

However, the business is not really moving even after all the work that's put into it, my mom goes through so much stress also in order to ensure my products are available. 

Creating awareness and making contents to publicize it has also been challenging.

And you know when I take it around or mention it to people, they're first like "Ewedu powder??" "Ehh"

"Wow", 

"Wetin we no go see for this UI" ... And all of that.

It isn't really encouraging. 

Also, the fact that I don't have a sealing machine, (if I had, I would have used a better nylon to package the product. Since I want to prevent the nylon opening up later, I usually tape it to re-seal it, of which doing this for over 100 sachets is not easy at all) is another challenge. 

Interviewer: Where do you see your brand in the next 1-2 years? Would you consider scaling beyond campus?

Deborah: Yes.

It's not just something I want to do in the meantime, I see my brand going places beyond Nigeria as God would have it.

With the right networking, I believe I'll scale higher even after school.

Interviewer: What advice would you give a fellow student who would want to start something similar?

Deborah: Well, I'd say, don't limit yourself.

If there was any thought that crossed my mind when I wanted to start, it was the thought of "How would people see it? Will they buy it?" But I shoved them off.

There's hardly anything you bring to the market that people will not buy, provided you have done your research and you have seen that it's really needed in that particular space.

So, do your findings, pray about it, trust God to lead you and launch it.

You never can tell!

Interviewer: It has been a really wonderful conversation with you so far, but before you go, ewedu powder is what most people know you for, what else falls under the Ara Iye Biye Foods brand?

Deborah: There's also bean powder, crayfish, okra powder, dry fish, dry ponmo and the likes, and they are available upon request for now.

Dried foods that can be kept for a while before being used, anything that provides comfort and prevents wastage of foods is what I'm dealing with.

Interviewer: Wow, that's much bigger than I expected. Good luck with your brand!

 Deborah: Thank you very much.