Is there any street corner you can go in major cities in Nigeria without finding a sharwarma joint? Sharwarma is one of the most popular flour or bread based snacks in Nigeria. Almost all city based Nigerians eat this tasty delicacy.
Smart businessmen have keyed into sharwarma business because they know that people cannot visit any bar or eatery without ordering for sharwarma.
Ladies are known to prefer eating sharwarma while their male counterparts down beer or other drinks. Take any Nigerian lady out; there are chances that she will ask for sharwarma instead of other foods.
Steps to take before starting a sharwarma business
Business Incorporation: It is always better to start your business by incorporating it. You can register your company as a limited liability company or just get a business name from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
Training: You need to get trained on how to prepare a delicious sharwarma. The taste of your sharwarma can make a huge difference in the number of customers you have.
Banking services: Before you start your sharwarma business, you should establish a relationship with a bank. Having a bank account will make you manage your cashflow more efficiently than keeping your funds at home.
Location: Sharwarma joint is best located in a busy area with a lot of people walking around. When you site your sharwarma joint in a busy place, you are likely to get a lot of customers. In big cities in Nigeria, sharwarma businesses are located beside a busy restaurant, on a busy street or around places with lots of corporate establishments.
If the place you rent is an open space. You may need to build or construct a tent or kiosk where you will prepare and sell your sharwarma.
Staff recruitment: If you decide to make your sharwarma business a big one, you may need to hire some people to work for you. It is always better to hire people who are experienced in the making of sharwarma or those with catering experience.
Equipment: To own a sharwarma business, you need to buy some equipment. Some of the equipment you need include:
- Gas cooker
- Sharwarma Toaster
- Lightings
- Stereo system
- Tables and seats
Marketing: You need to design an attractive signage. Marketing documents like flyers, complimentary cards and small calendars can be produced. Digital marketing concept may also be used to increase the mileage of your sharwarma business.
People who have made money from sharwarma business
Chichi was posted to Abuja for her NYSC in 2011. While serving the country, she noticed that most men take their wives or girlfriends out every evening to eat sharwarma. Chichi immediately offered to work in a sharwarma joint in Jabi, Abuja every evening without pay. She just wanted to know how to prepare sharwarma and how to run a sharwarma joint successfully.
Chichi launched her sharwarma business in Abuja when she completed her NYSC programme. Within 3 months of starting the business, Chichi was already making N250,000 every month. Today, Chichi has branches of her sharwarma business in three locations in Abuja and she just opened a branch in Lagos.
Jude is a young man who started sharwarma business in Isolo, Lagos 8 months ago. Despite the competition in the business in Ireakari Estate, Isolo, Lagos, this young man makes over N30,000 every day. During busy times, he makes over N50,000 a day. Jude is really making money from this business.
There are several success stories in sharwarma business. Do not let that certificate make you look for jobs that are not available. Get trained and you may be the next sharwarma millionaire.