Suya is a type of spicy barbeque made from cow meat. Suya is an indigenous snack eaten by the Hausa people. However, the consumption of this snack has spread to all parts of Nigeria and some other African countries.
Go to the United Kingdom, China and the United States, you will see Nigerian businessmen preparing and selling suya. Suya business has gone international. It is a very lucrative business any smart Nigerian can do and make money.
You will be right to say that you can find suya to buy in all towns and cities in Nigeria. From late evenings in Nigeria, you will see Hausa men preparing and selling suya using wood, charcoal and locally fabricated barbeque maker.
Never believe the lie that suya business is done by only the Hausa people. I have seen people from other tribes in Nigeria making good money from suya business.
Things to do to make money from suya business
There are things you need to put in order before you start your suya business. I will explain some of the things below:
Find a location
Location is one of the key factors that can determine the success or failure of your suya business. Suya sellers are mostly located in busy areas. You will not make good money if you locate your suya business in a place with low foot and vehicular traffic.
Find a place with high foot traffic, get the people who own the place, negotiate with them and pay the rent.
Suya is mostly sold in the later part of the day. I rarely see people who sell suya early in the morning.
You also need to determine if you will rent a shop or just an open space. If you are just starting out with lean capital, you can rent an open space.
To differentiate your suya business from others, you may ultimately need to rent a shop and make the shop very clean and attractive.
Training
Do not be shy to ask hausa people who are skilled in the making of suya to train you. Find a good suya maker; ask him to train you on how suya is made.
If he asks for money, pay him and learn as much as possible.
You can also use YouTube videos to learn how to garnish your own suya. Look at how you can make your suya different and better than the ones sold by the unorganized and unhygienic sellers in Nigeria.
Staff recruitment
If you prefer to be an investor in the suya business, you may decide to get people who will help you run the business. Poaching of staff from existing suya business can help.
Marketing
The conventional suya businesses in Nigeria hardly go around marketing their products. You can network with event planners with the aim of allowing you to supply suya to the events they manage.
I once attended a high class party and I saw the ushers serving suya. I asked how they got the suya and I was told the event planner struck a deal with a Yoruba owned suya business.
You can design a website for your suya business and use digital marketing to make your business go viral on the web.
Business Incorporation
To be on the safe side of the law, it is better you incorporate your business. Just contact the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and file documents for company or business registration.
Yes, over 90% of suya sellers in Nigeria never incorporated their suya business but do you want to be like them.
There are a lot of advantages if you incorporate your business. You can source for investments and loans and even get government support.
Equipment
You need to buy suya making stands. These stands are locally fabricated, they are powered with charcoal. Using gas fired barbeque maker will not make the suya have the taste and flavor the charcoal stands provide.
If you really want to invest in suya business, please do and make good money. The opportunities in this business are limitless.