The kitchen-to-hero scintillating rise of Nigeria’s premier food spices giant, Tiger Foods Nigeria Ltd speaks to how foresight, vision, focus, dexterity and integrity could combine to form an elixir needed to nurture and grow an indigenous manufacturing company.
Those not conversant with the interplay of factors and processes that birthed Tiger Foods Ltd and its rise to the dominance of the Nigerian food spices chain may find “kitchen to hero” strange but here is letting them know that the company started over two decades ago as a thriving restaurant in the bustling city of Onitsha, Anambra state where man who is now at the driver’s seat of Tiger Foods, Chief Celestine Ebubeogu and his brother, Don helped out as young boys.
The restaurant in question which offered outdoor catering services was owned by Chief Ebubeogu’s mother.
Tiger Foods, therefore, evolved from the restaurant’s kitchen where the young Ebubeogu showcased fantastic culinary skills.
Taking after his mother’s entrepreneurial acumen, Ebubeogu was to bring a transition to bear in the business. Thus in no time, the restaurant and catering services metamorphosed into a fledgling spices processing outfit.
As the company burgeoned, the need for expansion and registration arose and Tiger Foods was formally registered as Spices Manufacturing company in 1996.
With Ebubeogu’s strategic managerial skill, Tiger Foods has not only cemented its status as a driving force in the food industry but has also set an unparalleled standard of excellence and innovation in the industry.
Industry watchers opine that Tiger Foods has soared higher, even beyond the imagination of the founders. With strategic vision, Tiger Foods has successfully grown into a prominent and respected brand within the food industry and among consumers.
It’s worth mentioning that Tiger Foods sources most of its raw materials locally thus proudly producing made-in-Nigeria brands.
The company has a robust backward Integration Program spanning the length and breadth of Nigeria which has ensured that it now boasts of a processing capacity of 10,000 Metric tons of raw material annually.
The darling of consumers, Tiger Foods’ products, widely circulate in many African countries where they are exported.
Beyond Africa, the company is now on the cusp of opening new frontiers in the USA and UK following hot demands.
An indigene of Akokwa in Ideato North local government area of Imo state, Ebubeogu’s tremendous achievements in industrialisation has caught the attention of The Sun Newspapers Publishing company hence he will on Saturday be conferred by the company with the Sun Indistrialist Year of Award.
Like Chairman of the Orange Drugs Group, a leading manufacturer of household & pharmaceutical items, Sir Tony Ezenna (Ijele Akokwa), MD of Swift Nig Ltd, one of the leading network providers in Nigeria and the MD of Candel Nigeria Ltd, a leading manufacturer of agro-fertilizer and other agro products, Chief Celestine Ebubego (Ide Akokwa) is one of the illustrious sons and industrialists from Akokwa who have over the years brought tremendous glory, respect and fame to the town through job creation and employment thousands of Nigerians.
Ingram Osigwe writes from Lagos.