Mai George is a brand

 

customers.
“Would you like Mai George to braai for you? Mai Gonyeti at your service! Mai Gringo . . . Mai Chihera . . . ” The list is endless.

At a nearby car wash, self-proclaimed DJs are belting tune after tune as customers enjoy their meals.
Drunkards avoid the newly erected toilets because they are dirty and opt for a nearby maize field.
Welcome to KwaMereki, one of the most popular open-air joints in Harare.

Saturday Lifestyle made its way to Warren Park D, and found the first woman to introduce the famous braai joint, Caroline Mereki, popularly known as “Mai George”.

To some she might be an ordinary woman running a mini canteen along with other women but Mai George has seen it all at. She is the niece of the late businessman, Mr   Mereki, ho owned the first bottle store and butchery at the centre.

In 1990, Mai George then broke away from her uncle’s shops to erect a braaing spot that would complement the two shops.

“Things were different then as I used to work in an open space by myself. I saw a great opportunity to make money by offering to braai the patrons/ meat while they enjoyed their drinks. I’ms a widow so people would call me by my son’s name, George. Mai George has been stuck on me ever since” she said.

In no time, Mai George became an integral part of the joint. More stores emerged and new management came and went for the past 23 year but her business only got bigger and better.

“I eventually employed a few other people to assist me to meet the demand that kept increasing from time to time. Some of the employees, however, branched out and put up their stands next to mine,” said the mother of three.

As is the norm when business grows, so does the number of rivals. Many other people joined the bandwagon but because, of her experience and determination to stay at the top, she has managed to sustain her brand as a cut above the rest.

After having countless brushes with the local authorities over the years, Mai George joined forces with her rivals in 2003 to form the “Gochi Gochi” co-operative where their operations were legalised. She underwent training with the Ministry of Health. There she learnt of how she could operate under hygienic conditions.

“In an effort to curb the spread of diseases like cholera we practise strict hygiene. A proper shed was built that has running water. We work legally and pay rent to the city council,” she said.

Mai George took the time to express her disgust over rumours she says are fabricated and malicious that are meant to tarnish her image. She acknowledged that she was aware of rumours doing the rounds about how she uses magic potions or juju to draw customers to her stand. The woman simply credits her popularity to her culinary skills.

“Mai George is a brand and people should know that by now. I treat my customers with the utmost respect. I am a professional and clients appreciate it that is why they keep coming back,” she said.

She reiterated that some patrons have been coming for her food since they were young and to this day they come from different parts of Harare and surrounding areas. Unlike many others, she boasted of her rich traditional dishes comprising “maguru, matumbu, and mazondo” that she says she makes to perfection.

“It is disappointing when people start up their stands and use my trade name. Any act of misconduct they commit is at times attributed to me and it tarnishes my good name. For instance, there were photos doing the rounds on social media of a woman said to be Mai George.

She was photographed in such a way that she was bending over as she cooked while pots of food were underneath her skirts. I do not conduct myself like that because I have a proper cooking area,” she said.

Mai George, however, stressed that because so many people had joined into the trade the profit margins have become smaller making it difficult to live solely on selling food.

“I have raised my children and lived by this business all my life. I currently employ five people and we will continue to soldier on till the bitter end. If opportunities arise I would be glad to take my business beyond the borders but I will not close shop. Mai George has stood the test of time, so we are here to stay,” she said.