By Sonia Nworah
Young Adaora Akojuru is the CEO Beta Agric Ventures Limited, she shares with us her journey from being a regular girl to an Agribusiness Executive churning out tomato puree from tomatoes, with the brand name ‘Bera Tomato’. In this interview, she shares with us in brief just how it all started.
Biz 360: Let us get to meet you.
Adaora Akojuru: My name is Adaora Akojuru. I’m the founder of Beta Agric. Ventures Limited. We’re the ones that manufacturers Bera ‐tomato. So beta‐tomatoes is a hundred percent natural, ready to use, ready to cook tomato paste for us that help people to be able to cook faster, save time, save money, save their gas or kerosene and have their meals ready in no time.
Biz 360: what inspired this side you?
Adaora Akojuru: well, it actually started from the period of post harvest losses, we operate in Kano. And in kano state we have farmers that farm tomatoes in large quantities and during that period, they encountered a lot of post harvest losses because during the glut season farmers are not able to sell off all their produce. So we now came up with the initiative of having an instant mechanism whereby we are able to help them cut off all the post harvest losses. So that was how we started Bera Tomato.
Biz 360: How far has this taken you.
Adaora Akojuru: well, we are going, we’re growing gradually, we’re growing. This is my first exhibition ever since we lunched last year. So it’s a spark for us. From there we intend to penetrate many more market exhibitions, trade shows, food shows, as much as possible.
Biz 360: Starting up, how did you do it?
Adaora Akojuru: well, we started with a lot of support and research. And a whole lot of time and energy has been put into developing the product and we are still researching, working and learning to bring out our product quality and bring out things that will actually appeal more to households and families.
Biz 360: so for Bera Tomato Brand how well is it doing today in the market.
Adaora Akojuru: well its doing great, we have entered more than six states now and interestingly we have customers in more than these six states, so we are moving slowly but surely.
Biz 360: How do you hope to cope with competition?
Adaora Akojuru: Every business has competition and competition is normal in business, but the quality of product we are bringing and the features of the product we are bringing is something like you have probably not seen before right! So its different from most of the big brands that are existing in the Nigerian market currently. What we are bringing is unique, its different; I think we are going to survive, we are going to scale, we are going to be big, we are going to be known(she giggles).
Biz 360: your customers, who are they? What category of women or people do you think your product is meant for?
Adaora Akojuru: My customers are normal everyday people, you and I, Male, female. People that generally cook in their houses, which we all do from time to time. Especially those that have very busy schedules, they want to create time for other activities: so they can just open a jar of the puree, put in your oil, ten minutes and your stew is ready to go! Your Jollof is ready to go, that’s it!
Biz 360:So how easy is it to prepare a meal with your tomato puree
Adaora Akojuru: Its easy I tell you. Open, turn into your oil, cook.
Biz 360: You sound as though what you have done here is a very simple task.
Adaora Akojuru: Noo, (She laughs) it’s a lot of hard work, it’s a lot of sleepless nights, anxiety, a whole lot of things but trust me. When you are in, you know that this is what you should be doing, this is where you are supposed to be, you have no choice than to just put in all your energy and timing to it and trust the process…yeah.
Biz 360: Do you have a word for young folks like you out there?
Adaora Akojuru: Yes. Dream, believe, go out there, work, do it, you can do it and you will do it.
