Family spells doom for my mandazi business

When Fiolina and I founded Drelina Bakeries, Mwisho wa Lami’s newest enterprise that supplies baked goods to the village and its environs, we were quite aware that should we succeed, there would be competition. And we were ready to face any competition.

That is why I set up a fit-for-purpose structure, ensured that our mandazi were the sweetest ever, and observed hygiene while delivering on time. We did not also mind offering credit to customers who had potential to pay back.

What I never imagined was that kikulacho kinguoni mwako. Those of you who have read business books know that it is easier to handle external competition than to face internal competition.

But having not initially employed anyone from outside my immediate family, I did not anticipate that someone would know the secret ingredients that made our mandazi the sweetest ever, and steal our customers.

STARTED OPERATIONS

But in less than a month since we started operations, I am having to deal with real competition. And the competition is from deep within. It all started two weeks ago when I made a strategic decision to outsource baking to Anindo’s place, having had internal challenges in ensuring consistent and timely production.

If you remember, Electina and Honda, the daughters of Tocla, my brother-in-law, seemed to have gone on a go-slow, and started demanding a pay rise — or rather some pay for that matter.

This would have pushed my production costs up, and so I decided to get a cheaper option. That is how I ended up engaging Anindo, whom I gave all the baking equipment.  Every day at 7.30am, I would be at her home together with Branton. We would pick the mandazi and start making deliveries.

All was going well until last Tuesday. I went to Branton’s room to wake him up but to my surprise he was not in. The day before, he had returned with half the goods, saying customers complained that we were late. There seems to be someone who had delivered earlier than us.

So I changed and went to Anindo’s place. Branton was not there, and so I went back home to check if he had been sighted. But he was not at home. I did not ask Fiolina where the boy was for we had not been talking for over two weeks.

FIRST DESTINATION

I went back to Anindo’s. Still, Branton was not there. Anyway, he was a big boy and just in case he had disappeared, he would find his way back home. I decided to supply where he used to deliver.

Alphayo’s home was the first destination. He has frequently been buying breakfast because his son is home due to Covid-19.

“Thank you Andres,” said Truphosa, Alphayo’s wife as she picked the mandazi. “Naona leo umetuletea double, kijana wako alikuwa ashaleta ingine.” I just said welcome, not knowing what else to say. She must have been confused, I thought. Since I was in a hurry, I just waved at Alphayo from far then proceeded to Kizito’s.

His wife Nimo took the mandazi. She, however, told me that Branton had already dropped their order. She added: “Today’s and yesterday’s have the original taste that made us fall in love with your mandazi. Last’s week’s mandazi missed something…”

I just told her I would investigate the matter, then left. Something was not adding up. In the next homestead, they also said Branton had supplied, and they would only take what I had if it was a free sample. I took my motorcycle and delivered supplies for far flung areas. There was no problem here, just some complaints that I was late.

I rode back home. I was hungry and needed some tea. Since we haven’t been on talking terms with Fiolina and the girls, I usually use Branton to bring me food. But since he was missing in action that day, I went to the kitchen. I was attracted by the sweet smell of mandazi as I approached the kitchen.

FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS

I found Electina and Honda packing mandazi. Branton sat at the corner, his mouth full, eating mandazi like he has never eaten anything since schools closed. Before I entered, I had heard him say. “Wekeni haraka nipelekee kabla akuje.”

They were shocked to see me. I did not quarrel them; I saw no reason to do so since they were just following instructions from Fiolina. I confronted her. But she seemed ready for me. “We are all looking for money so tukutane kwa soko and let’s see who will win this,” she said, adding that Mwisho wa Lami was big enough to accommodate both of us

 I told her it was wrong to compete with a family member yet I was making money for them. “Which family?” she asked. “We have never seen even a single cent from what you get, it all goes to Hitler’s!” She added: “Unless Anindo is your new family since she is the only one you have given money.”

“Okay fine, we can compete but keep Branton out of this. I need him to help me with the deliveries.” I said.

“It’s up to him to decide whom he wants to work for,” she said. “You have never paid the boy even Sh5. You don’t allow him to eat even one mandazi, how do you expect him to work for you?”

SHIFTED ALLEGIANCE

 Later, I tried talking to Branton but he had shifted allegiance, completely. I discussed the issue with Anindo, who got me her son to start doing local deliveries while I did the long distance ones.

But Branton was beating him — he was always earlier that him and customers preferred his mandazi, which they said were sweeter. I dropped the local deliveries and decided to concentrate on far-flung areas.

Yesterday, Fiolina told me that she had engaged Nyayo to start making mandazi for her long distance supplies – so she can directly compete with me. “Let’s see who will win this war,” she said. I told her it was wrong for her to be speaking to married men like Nyayo.

“So, it is okay for you to do business with Nyayo’s wife, but I can’t talk to Anindo’s husband? Really?” She asked and vowed to proceed with her plan. Should Nyayo help her to supply the mandazi, I will take the boda boda that I have leased him. I would rather lose money from my boda boda business than lose business to my wife!