Charlotte Flavienne Binya is one of the youngest and leading African food entrepreneurs who are contributing towards a food secure African continent. Binya developed deep interest quite early in the food production industry in her native country of Cameroon. She says her passion dates back to when she was still a little girl at primary school. And as she grew older her dream also took shape and this culminated in her founding Country Foods SARL, an agro-processing company based in Douala.
Impact of war on food production
The current war involving Russia and Ukraine has enormously disrupted and worsened food crisis in the world particularly in under-developed countries, notably Africa. According to economists, African countries imported agricultural products worth US$4 billion from Russia in 2020. Wheat accounted for 09% while 6% was sunflower oil. Major importing countries include Egypt, South Africa, Nigeria, Sudan, Algeria, Tanzania and Kenya. The situation is exacerbated by the climate change which causes periodic droughts, heavy and excessive rains, and crop and land degradation thus severely undermining the capacity of countries to produce their own food.
Non-communicable diseases
There are fears this will aggravate food shortage in Africa where, according to UNICEF, six million children are malnourished and stunted. Lack of access to healthy and nutritious food also contributes tothe rising incidents of non-communicable diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart related conditions. And it is widely believed this can only be resolved through an agriculture-driven growth strategy that would enable the continent to achieve nutrition security and prosperity.
Nutritious and wholesome food
Binya says her company’s formation was motivated by her vision of providing wholesome, nutritious and sustainably produced food. Country Foods SARL specialises in importing and exporting products such as fish, pork, beef sausages, natural jams, natural fruit juices and peanut butter. She says her company’s overriding goal is to ensure that their products are made from natural ingredients without using any chemicals or preservatives. In addition to being pure, the products have a long shelf life, according to Binya.
Scanning business environment
She says starting the company took a lot commitment and sacrifices. “It is not easy at all to start a company when you are young. You have no money, no time as you prioritise your studies and nobody takes you seriously with your business idea,” Binya says. She says before she started Country Foods SARL Company, she took her time to analyse the business environment so that she can assess what it entails. She holds a diploma in engineering making her an expert in transformation and quality control of fishery products. She is also a trainer in the food industry and presents training courses in the food industry to international organisations, individuals, or companies.
Creating jobs for youths
Apart from producing food, Binya’s other aim is to use Country Foods SARL to empower local youths particularly women. And it is not by coincidence that her current team is made up of women. The accountant is a 25 years old, young graduate of the University of Douala; the sales manager is a 32 year old and a graduate of business school boasting eight years of experience in marketing and customer management. Binya says she is hands-on and makes sure she is involved in every aspect of her business particularly cooking. Furthermore, she also supervises the production of meals and oversees the smooth running of the entire business’ operations.
As far as the future is concerned, Binya’s plan is to grow and expand Country Foods SARL’s footprint beyond Cameroon. This will involve mounting a rigorous marketing campaign to ensure her products are marketed throughout Africa including the international market.
