Mini food outlets sprout in suburbs

Nhlalwenhle Ngwenya
Verlaine Moyo, a one-time airtime vendor tired of running battles in the city centre with municipal police, like many of her peers, has changed tactics. She has started a mini-food outlet at home, keeping her away from trouble.

A good food scent leads this reporter to her house in New Lobengula. There, a small green tent is erected near the gate. The tent is a serving area for her many regular customers.

One doesna��t have to ask prices but read a sign post which says, a�? Russian sausages $0,50, fresh chips $0,50 and chicken pieces $1,00.a�?

Whata��s interesting is that her customers are neighbours and other people in the area a�� even commuter omnibus drivers and conductors know therea��s food in the area.

a�?For a person to eat here when they stay in the area means she is a good cook. You cana��t buy food next door when you have a stove in your house,a�? said one customer.

Shea��s in business to make relatively good money.

a�?This is convenient because Ia��m working from home and the good thing is, most of my customers are people I know. I make anything close to $30 a day,a�? said Moyo.

Armed with a gas tank, deep fat fryer she competes head-to-head with established food outlets in the city centre because some customers told this reporter that they prefer her food because of quality and price. That has seen her regularly delivering food to some offices around the city centre and the industrial areas around Bulawayo.

a�?The best part about my business is that I use gas, which is way cheaper than electricity. Even the equipment to start the business is cheap because one fat fryer costs around R699,a�? she said.

Mainstream outlets in the city charge two times more than her probably because of their location, staff complement and other operational costs, whereas shea��s easily classified as a sole trader.

a�?These are the best and fair prices you can get anywhere. I order these Russian sausages $1 for six in different butcheries in the city centre,a�? she added.

But shea��s not the only one that has gone that route, in some areas such as Emganwini, Nketa and Richmond there are some also holding their own fort.

Melvin Gumbo is another enterprising person. He a�?follows the marketa�? in Emganwini.

a�?I decided to take my business to the shops. I sell my food in front of supermarkets where therea��s human traffic. One way or the other if you go to the shops you may end up falling for my food,a�? said Gumbo.

During the day, he operates in front of a Choppies retail chain but when the supermarket closes, he moves his equipment to the door of the closest bar.

a�?During the day business is slow. At first I used to go home early, but I noticed that I was failing to tap into bar patrons,a�? said the $45-a-day earner.

There are some that have taken the food vending idea a step further. They are found at the gates of colleges and hospitals.

Operating from a caravan, Siphiwe Mpofu is popular with Bulawayo Polytechnic students who fall into her web as soon as they leave the collegea��s gate.

Mpofu reads her market very well and responds with a clever approach to operational costs of the day.

a�?These days beef is expensive, so Ia��m now offering fresh chips, Russian sausages and chicken pieces. Students seem to prefer junk food to sadza,a�? she said.

Unlike Moyo, Mpofua��s prices are just as steep as main food outlets in the city centre. However, she said her location and mobility were an advantage. But ita��s not a home run because there are three more caravans in the vicinity offering the same services.

a�?Students dona��t get that time to move into the city to buy food, so thata��s where my advantage is. But if you note there are three others offering the same. Competition is stiff,a�? she added.

Despite possible health hazard posed to customers, all mini-fast food outlets entrepreneurs are of the view that customers are not blind, they come to a buying decision after having scrutinised the environment.

a�?Customers are particular with cleanliness. If they realise that the place is dirty, they do not buy food. The fact that they continue supporting my business means that they dona��t only appreciate the good food but also are impressed by the hygienic standard I maintain,a�? said Mpofu.