Starting a business during the advent of the 2020 outbreak of COVID-19 was as risky. Many entrepreneurs opted to put their plans on hold as the pandemic took hold of peoples lives and the economy. However, for one startup they saw an opportunity to enter into the delivery business segment which has fast become an essential service due to lock down restrictions.
According to Lusaka Grocery Delivery Company’s CEO Ngao Mutambo, her company’s maiden year was an amazing one. It posted a turnover of $41,000 in a year that was fraught with disease pandemic disruptions. The segment she entered though had just received a major boost despite the wrath of lockdowns. Many in diaspora who form a significant contribution of her turnaround, found her services the best option to deliver goods to loved ones.
“With $200m being sent home in remittance to Zambia annually the diaspora felt very comfortable sending money via our payment integrations rather than giving cash to their loved ones to buy the products they needed”, said the CEO in a LinkedIn post. It is very clear that she has identified value creation through targeting a slice of these remittances.
Ngao identified the problem for diaspora and created a solution that would enable the company tap into the $200 million. “We started off trying to encourage our close friends and family to stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic but quickly found a bigger continental issue of the African diaspora struggling to help their loved ones during this crisis.”
However, the graduate from the University of Liverpool where she acquired her Bachelor of Arts and Masters degrees did not do it alone. Internally, she has a staff of mostly women showing that she is all about empowerment with 72% of them forming the core of her operations with indications that new year will see her recruit more women.
Externally, Ngao has used the power of collaboration in this unpredictable pandemic age. “We are so grateful for all the partnerships and synergies we’ve built over our first year and we are excited to work closely together with new partners.” She will no doubt leverage on these collaborations as she seeks to grow the business in 2021 and beyond.
She is intent increasing her penetration in the local market using her established partnerships. Furthermore, the company will be launching its first app on both Google play store and Apple store in Q1 2021. The roll out of the app will be quintessential resource that will enable the company tap into a wider market that has now become increasingly mobile and digital. This has potential to increase the current customer recurrence from the current 48%. This is not forgetting that with technology the company will be able to use the data gathered from each transaction to better customize the services offered in the new year.