31/05/2022
Aladia's Journey,
Aladia's Kitchen started as a home based business on the 3rd of May 2020 with only a 2 kg packet of chicken and no funding.
At the onset of lock down, i was offered a third of my salary or retrenchment. I was devasted. Being a bread winner, i knew that i had to think on my feet in order to survive. I had a family that relied on me.
On the 3rd of May, i woke up and cried. We had no money left and only a 2kg packet of chicken in the freezer.
I cooked the chicken and advertised on the neighborhood whattsapp groups.
Within an hour, i had an order for 2 Chicken bunnies. This was it. The money that i made paid for sugar beans for the next day and that paid for mince for the next day. Each day paid for the next.
It was level 4 lockdown. We delivered and had collections at our Gate.
I gave the Business a name and budgets.
This was the beginning of a Brand, a brand with a difference that will give back to the community and serve Humanity. Aladia's Kitchen will be the epitome of Ubuntu.
On Mothers Day, i woke up at 3am and cooked up a storm. At around 8pm, i got to sit down, i cried tears of joy. This was amazing. The beginning of something great
This is how the Business continues to operate wirh each day paying for the next.
I saw the gap in the market for Authentic Durban Flavour.
I watched with pride as the Business grew, advertising on Facebook and Whattsapp groups.
After 2 months of operating from home, we moved to our first premises in Strubens Valley. We moved with every appliance, pot, pan and spoon from home. To this day, we have no pots at home. Ha ha ha, its okay, we are building a brand.
Our struggles are real. We are operating with home appliances, have no uniform and sometimes have to choose what to purchase. Sadly, we have to minimize on samoosa production in order to purchase other ingredients. The recent spike of oil, meat and almost every ingredient is affecting our bottom line. Being an Entrepreneur is not for the faint hearted, long hours, sleepless nights, being, a CEO, a marketing manager, financial manager, front desk, assistant, face of the brand, staff member and a mum wearing my million dollar smile.
I humbly ask that you share my posts, give reviews and let me know where we can improve.
We Need You. We will overcome this🙏
We do not compromise on quality, therefore cook to sell out and not carry over.
I did not know anything about the food Industry. I carried through my love for cooking and all that i did at home.
For 13 months, i did all the cooking until i employed my first Chef, in March 2021.
On the 13th of January 2021, we opened Aladia's Kitchen Fourways. No financial aid, the business paid for itself. This created employment.
Aladia's Kitchen won Joburgs Best Samoosa with 947 in September 2021.
I received a Global award as an Entrepreneur of the year Finalist in Dubai. I was featured on ENCA, for being part of a solution in creating employment at a time when people were losing jobs.
During all of this, i survived GBV in every form. I hit rock bottom more than once. I used the rock bottom as a spring to get myself up every single time.
I used my struggles as my strength to help anyone that needed me. 28 years, later, i chose me. I choose to speak my story and be the voice that will be the change.
I started a Campaign called 'Each One Help One.' This is my platform to reach out to help those around me with the main focus being on GBV.
Start with what you have, where you are, right now.
A Woman with a Voice is By Definition A Strong Woman.
