Wanjiru Mambo was already working in the hospitality industry, owning a restaurant, by the time the COVID-19 pandemic struck.
Wanjiku and her business partner had established a restaurant in Upper Hill, Nairobi, in 2019.
Unfortunately, they were put out of business as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic’s limitations, including the lockdown.
In an interview, Wanjiru claimed that just before the lockdown was declared and implemented, they had restocked meat and potatoes.
She noted that with no plans to reopen the restaurant soon, they decided to disperse the stock amongst themselves.
“We had nowhere to transport them, so I took the potatoes with me and disposed of them on my estate. I used to park my pickup at the gate and people would buy it,” she explained.
Wanjiru stated that she had drained the first quantity of potatoes and had purchased more from Limuru through her mother.
It was then that she began to consider ways to add value to the potatoes rather than simply selling them as is.
“It’s an idea that I had come across from somebody else who, unfortunately, were out of business but they were willing to help me and even sell me some of the equipments that they had,” she told me.
With access to the necessary resources, Wanjiru proceeded to concentrate on the fundamentals, such as registering the business, and struck the ground running.
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She started the firm with money from friends and family, including her husband, who she characterized as very supportive.
“It’s been a journey; we simply got the essentials. We started with 300 kilos per day and are now processing nearly five tonnes. It’s a process, and you can improve the computers as needed,” she explained.
The majority of her clients are schools who provide fries on their menus, as well as fast food establishments that do not process potatoes.
“Where most hotels and restaurants are located, the potato processing is highly intensive, it’s a dirty job, and they don’t have the luxury of processing while they cook. They’re also very busy, that’s why it’s a gap and it’s a need for us to provide them with ready to cook potatoes,” Wanjiru told the BBC.
Wedgehut makes a variety of goods, including French fries, potato wedges, lyonnaise, potato cubes and whole peeled potatoes. makes a variety of goods, including French fries, potato wedges, lyonnaise, potato cubes and whole peeled potatoes.
These items are peeled, chopped, cleaned to remove starch, vacuum-packed to prevent oxidation, and chilled.
Wanjiru stated that her clients include supermarkets, fast food chains, institutions, and individual consumers.
They include Naivas, Quickmart, Safari Park Hotel, Ole Sereni, Carnivore, Empire Lounge, Chicken Inn Java, Galito’s and Strathmore University.
