Bulika Koko’s closure

Every aspiring business person aspires to be like Bill Gates, Phil Knight, or Anita Roddick, because they all built significant organizations and served as their companies’ long-term leaders.

Successful CEO/founders, however, are a relatively uncommon breed.

The creation of Bulika Koko was proclaimed on July 23, 2022, in Ghana’s Upper East, with the goal of bridging the gap between customers and producers.

Bulika Koko quickly gained popularity and became a household name, bringing in a lot of both locals and visitors.

Bulika Koko was owned by every media person, who sold it everywhere. Even the business’s owner’s identity was elusive.

In order to provide a wholesome and well-balanced breakfast to residents of Bolgatanga and its vicinity, Simon Agana Blessing Azongo came up with the concept for Bulika Koko in 2014.

The thought of a man selling porridge (koko) made the 36-year-old educational psychologist despondent when several female friends made fun of it, which led him to abandon it.

Barkisu Sule, 32, one of them, recalls, “I thought he was joking and I questioned, why will man sell Koko.”

However, Mr. Azongo found that discouraging. He was unable to read Barkisu’s and others’ thoughts.

The concept was revived in 2021, however, when Mr. Azongo noticed that the epidemic and the lack of a location in the area that offered a variety of breakfast options at one point where customers went to get everything breakfast brought the two together.

He made the decision to fill that by opening a breakfast joint where clients may go and order any type of breakfast they like.

Another issue that needed to be solved, according to Mr. Azongo, was that most koko outlets served their food in the open without a good hygienic atmosphere, which essentially deterred many people from patronising them, and there was no quality delivery method available.

Mr. Azongo founded Bulika Koko specifically to fill these voids.

He made deliveries to offices in every part of the Bolga initially for free but later for a fee of 1 cedi.

“I had branded packs and cups for delivery.”

Morning is the meaning of the Guruni word bulika. Morning koko is called bulika koko.

After the business began to pick up, Barkisu became enthusiastic and even asked to assist Mr. Azongo.

She says, “I was excited because everything was going nicely.”

Mr. Azongo’s savings of 12,000 cedis was used to launch the business which only lasted for a year in operation.

He began with four clients, all of whom gave him great feedback and recommendations.

The customer base increased to 30, but Mr. Azongo claimed he never turned a profit during the course of the business’ operation.

Later, Mr. Azongo discovered that he was selling one pack for far less than the cost.

Mr. Azongo announced on Facebook on July 23, 2022, that he has decided to close the company owing to ongoing losses.

The message on Facebook stated, in part: “Despite his best efforts, he was forced to shut down the business due to the ongoing increases in food prices. He once spent GHS16.00 to make one box of breakfast, which he then sold for Gh8.00. In a sense, he was selling at a loss.”

Though he is down, for the time being, Mr. Azongo vowed he is not out yet.

“Bulika KoKo will be back sooner than expected.”

Many consumers who appreciated the Bulika koko and sympathized with Mr. Azongo were surprised by the announcement.

Joshua Asaah, an A1 radio Journalist, has been instrumental in promoting Bulika Koko.

He laments that the nation’s current system is putting hopes and enterprises to death. For him, it is gloomy times.

“So you should know. The current system in the country is killing businesses/dreams. Sad times.”

Only a question of time, Mr. Asaah made a remark that the business will recover even bigger and stronger.

He is pleased that the business temporarily employed people.

Linda Barden, a worker with Bolgatanga-based NGO and a devoted customer, is shocked by the shutdown.

“Very surprising,” she said in a WhatsApp conversation with JoyNews Mahmud Mohammed-Nurudeen.

Due to work commitments, Madam Barden had trouble ordering, but she says that Bulika Koko was a delightful breakfast that could compete favorably with other noteworthy cuisine endeavors.

Madam Barden was asked how the closure may affect her, but she responded, “Well, I will have to get an alternative.”

There are surprises for Bulika Koko non-customers as well. This suggests that the company may have had fans.

“A brand or a business never dies, unless the owner kills it. And it mostly dies in the heart of the business owner and then in the people that made it part of their life. We would be back, No matter how many times we would rise and fall. We would be back,” one Chris Kevin said on Facebook.

Mr. Azongo was regarded as just another individual trying to make it in the local food industry.

It takes work to develop a quickly expanding firm. Azongo’s failure, though, has provoked responses beyond apathetic Facebook goodbyes and shrugs.

Mr. Azongo carried out a profit and loss analysis prior to the start of the business. It was encouraging since he thought he could initially generate about Gh50.00 profit each day.

This was after all deductions, including the payment of four employees who received monthly salaries ranging from 250 to 300 cedis.

Mr. Azongo doesn’t have many regrets, but he occasionally wishes he had invested the money differently or “had kept it in my account for emergencies”, like when he was accepted to pursue his MPhil.

“However, in general, I don’t have many regrets. It has also given me the chance to study. How to interact with clients, how to oversee employees, and the difficulties that come with being a business owner. These encounters have all been wonderful.”

But if Mr. Azongo starts all over, what will he alter? “If I had to start all over, I would alter the organizational setup. Instead of exclusively selling in packs, I’ll give them the option of purchasing at their preferred pricing.”

Additionally, Mr. Agana will want to improve his personnel.

“I’ll hire employees who are willing to commit to the company’s goals and who are aware of the business concept.”

Source: Ghana News