Kenyatta University’s Performing Arts Club (KUPA) and African Nazarene’s Peace Club are the Nestlé Professionals My Own Business (MYOWBU) Ya Campo competition winners.
The two teams took USD1,000 an equivalent of Sh98,000 after beating four other clubs in the Nescafé coffee selling business in their respective universities.
KU’s KUPA sold over 4,500 cups while Africa Nazarene’s Peace Club sold 4360 cups of Nescafé coffee between July 2014 and January 2015 to win the competition.
In addition to the cash prizes, the lead students from the winning clubs will get internship opportunities with Nestlé Kenya.
“The winning clubs were judged through their innovative marketing strategies and sales volumes,” said Paul Nagelkerken, Nestlé Country Beverage Business Manager.
MYOWBU Ya Campo was launched in Kenya in 2012 to help create job opportunities and build youths’ entrepreneurial skills in the country.
“Through the programme, more than 650 coffee vendors have been recruited throughout Kenya, who are now earning from Sh300-2,000 per day, from selling Nescafé coffee. The vendors sell the coffee in busy public areas such as open markets, stadiums and bus stops,” said Ciru Miring’u, Nestlé Kenya managing director.
In 2014, Nestlé Professional kicked off a leadership programme to empower club teams in partnership with ADDO Africa - as the implementing partners.
About seven clubs drawn from Kenyatta University, Nairobi University, African Nazarene University, Technical University, St Paul’s University and Jomo Kenyatta University were trained and engaged in the programme.
The qualifying clubs were chosen based on the sustainability and continuity of the programme.
Like the street vendors, each of the clubs received a kit comprising a coffee dispenser, Nescafé products, hot water flasks and disposable cups among others. This helped the students obtain initial capital from which they are able to purchase their own stock.
Nestlé then conducted regular meetings with the clubs to offer the necessary support where applicable, for example, providing Nescafé branded materials during events.
“Students not only had opportunities to make money for their clubs, but also acquire real life business experience while still doing their studies,” added Miring’u.
MYOWBU programme is led by Nestlé Professional (the Nestlé Unit that offers beverage and food solutions in the out of home industry), which identifies, recruits, trains, equips and manages the students and street-vendors.
“Based on the success of the initial phase and to keep on building the entrepreneurial skills of more university students, Nestlé Professional has now embarked on recruiting more clubs and universities for the second phase of the MYOWBU Ya Campo,” said Ms. Miring’u.
About 10 more universities and clubs will be recruited to join the entrepreneurial MYOWBU Ya Campo Nescafé coffee selling business.