Solving the Hunger Problem on Campus
Disrupting the Food Ecosystem in the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA)
Food is key in the life of any student you see around. Our moments on campus are defined by our access to food. We have “Ose Igberaga” which depicts the time when students come on campus. It is determined by their access to a lot of foodstuffs brought from home. It happens within the first few weeks in a session or semester. There is also “FUTA Igbeyin” which is the time when there is little or no foodstuff in students’ homes. It occurs during exams which is the end of a session or semester. Hence, the food problem tops on the list of issues students face on campus. Anybody solving this problem appropriately should be regarded as a great human making the world a better place.
An ecosystem, as we know it, is a system of interconnected elements. In this case, the elements are different food startups that are operating on campus. They are working together to satisfy the hunger of students. I will divide them into two: the legacy businesses and the disruptive startups. The legacy businesses are the canteens near the car park at North gate, South gate and Aluta market, the restaurants in the Students Union Building, and the eateries in the academic area. The disruptive startups are the makeshift canteens in front of the school gate at night, the ASAP Foods that delivers food to your doorstep, and the kiosks making Shoprite and Captain Cook breads readily available. These disruptive startups are changing the way we consume food on campus. They are doing the unthinkable to change the dynamics of our eating habit.
Making Food Available
When I first discovered a woman selling food in front of our school gate, I saw her as a joker that will leave as soon as she doesn’t get many sales. She sells out every single day! In a short while, she got a competitor close to her. She still sells out. They both sell out. Makeshift canteens are solving the problem of food availability. Established restaurants and canteens close in the evening. Most of them are already closed by 6pm. This presented a loophole that the makeshift canteens took advantage of. Students go to class to read overnight, especially during exams. Also, solving the problem of dinner for those who could or will not cook to save their lives (like me!). Also, in this category are the guys that provide snacks to students while they do their all-nighter. They saw that most students need something to nibble to prevent them from sleeping while they read and they solved this problem. For makeshift businesses, there is a very low operating cost attached to running the businesses. As they don’t have to spend on rent or power supply or DSTV subscription. This means more profit for every naira made.
Delivering Food ASAP
Delivery is something I think was not so important, at least not to students. I never thought students would want to pay for convenience. We learn in a world where everything screams no comfortability. Students tend to thrive in the face of these adversities proudly. Using a food delivery service will lessen the hardship-inspired story you will tell your kids in the future. Maybe I was wrong. ASAP Foods is closing sales and improving their logistics even without an app. They simply act as a middleman between you and your favourite restaurants. You place an order and tell them where you want them to get it. They charge a token as delivery cost. Think Jumia Food for students. They take orders over WhatsApp & phone calls and delivers them through their dispatch riders.
Third-party Distribution Channels
Going to and fro Shoprite mall costs three hundred naira from the school area. Students want the Shoprite bread for the softness and yummy nature but don’t want the additional transport cost. Using kiosks, these businesses are making premium bread readily available to students. They are eliminating the transport barrier to bring it closer. Having the cubicles at strategic locations, they are able to connect the supply with demand and adding a little bit on the original price means profit for them. It all started with the Captain Cook bread, then Shoprite bread. The kiosk mode of distribution is something that still works very well in the Nigerian market. I’m looking forward to more outlets adopting this to make other options available to students.
What else?
Just like every ecosystem, the food industry will continue to thrive on the innovation of the disruptors. These are businesses that are changing the way we see food and the eating habit of students. When efficiently executed, an innovative idea goes a long way to impact any space. It starts with identifying a part of a problem that has not been solved by the existing players and proffering a solution to it. Big players create gaps without knowing them, the new entrants should seek to fill those holes. This is seen in the way the makeshift canteens make food available when Sweet Savour and other established restaurants have closed for the day. Also evident in the way ASAP Foods makes food available when and where the student needs it when Mandate, Chapter and other canteens only service the customers who walk up to them. All-in-all, they are solving a major problem in the lives of students, the food factor is really strong. Now, I’m hungry :)
This article first appeared in the third edition of the FUTA Students Union Magazine: Paragon 3.0
