Sanni makes impact in Nigeria’s catering industry
Sanni Sheriff is the founder of Sannikayz Kitchen Limited. Sheriff is a caterer with vast experience in event services. He currently runs a mobile restaurant and event catering services in Lagos and its environs.
An engineering graduate of the University of Lagos, he started his journey as an entrepreneur in 2011when he began his mobile restaurant business on campus then.
According to him, the demand for his services was very high while in school and after his undergraduate study, he established Sannikayz Kitchen in 2014.
Sanni is a recipient of so many awards like ‘the Under 30 Achievers awards in 2013’, ‘Creative Man of the Year’ by the University of Lagos Engineering Society Awards. He is the Best Entrepreneur in 2014, nominated as Sheraton Entrepreneur of the Year at the African Youth Choice Awards in 2014 as well as the ‘Most Promising Enterprising Youth’ at the Nigerian Achievers Awards in 2015.
Sanni started his business with just N10, 000, an amount he spent on registering his business name, printing of banner and invoice. With referral from family and friends, he was able to generate operating cost from events. Currently his Sannikayz Kitchen is located at Oniru Victoria Island, Lagos, where he renders catering services to professionals within the environs.
When asked what inspired his business, Sanni said: “I have been an entrepreneur since I was a little boy. My entrepreneurship experience started during my primary education where I usually made paper plane and sold for N5.”
“I was also inspired by my dad who operates a marine engineering service firm. He always wanted to grow his business and add more value to the brand and himself. This also drove my passion for rendering services to people,” he said.
He currently has three staff members
working with him and over 20 part-time workers who also work with him, especially at weekends when demand for his services are high.
The engineer turned caterer has not had it all rosy; he contends
with high prices of food items in the country and low purchasing power of consumers. He said: “Patronage has dropped and we are not even thinking of increasing our prices because we do not want to lose our customers.”
He also said that the epileptic power supply in the country was a very big challenge confronting his business as it had shot up his cost of production.
“Our business has grown tremendously since we started and we have even opened another brand of business. Our target client is corporate bodies and everybody who is interested in our services,” he said.
“We have been serving the corporate class since January and it’s really been adventurous. We have customers in Access Bank, Stanbic IBTC, Investment One, Integrated Supply Chain, Akintola Deloitte, PWC , just to mention a few. We have also acquired more assets. With support from family, friends and investors, the business is now worth about N5 million,” he added.
For his advice for young entrepreneurs, Sanni said, “Y
ou must have a clear vision and a goal you aim to achieve for yourself. You must also be focused and determined because they are keys to success amidst constant challenges.”
“Build relationships around people who will enable you actualise your dreams and not people who will slow you down and, most importantly, trust God in all you do, for He is the overseer of all plans,” he said.
Josephine Okojie