Holiday dishes: It’s booming business for chapati makers on festive season orders

Irene Jepkogei, founder of Afrikan Eats, a cloud catering business, has made her name in Nairobi—thanks to her chapatis.

Her passion for cooking, she says, was borne out of a determination to change her history for the better.

Ms Jepkogei started making chapatis for sale in 2020 alone. However, over the years, orders have been pouring in, and now she has employed five people, including riders who help deliver the delicacy.

“For Christmas, I had about 800 chapati orders. I had to close the order books three days before the D-day,” she says.

During this festive season, it is booming business for chapati makers.

Chapati has also become an almost staple food for Kenyans, meaning the business thrives even during the non-festive season.

“I rarely make less than 300 chapatis in a day, even during the off-season. But I am making almost 500 a day at the moment with the festival rush,” she says.

Ms Jepkogei charges Sh500 for 10 chapatis and Sh1,000 if made from ghee.

Irene Jepkogei poses for picture in her kitchen at Roysambu in Nairobi, Kenya. PHOTO | LABAAN SHABAAN | NMG

Claris Masai, owner of DT Kitchen, is also counting gains. She got about 100 orders for chapatis during Christmas in addition to the other meals she prepares.

Ms Masai, a teacher by training, has chosen to turn her passion for cooking into a career.

“I started my business in 2019 when it seemed like it was difficult to find a job as a teacher. My cousin gave me the idea of delivering lunches to her company so that I could earn an income,” she says.

The 30-year-old cooks all by herself but hires temporary staff to help her when she has overwhelming orders.

“The chapatis cost Sh30 for one,” she says. Over the years, she has introduced chapati made of white flour and brown flour, with pumpkin, carrot, and others with ghee.

Her typical day starts at 5.30am when she starts preparing the contract office orders for employees still working during the festive season.

During the festive season, Ms Jepkogei’s customers are families and companies during office parties.

“All of my clients are from social media, I have not met any of them in person, I only know them by name and by order,” she says.

Clients abroad

Even before the run-up of the high season, she reveals she has been getting customers from the US. She prepares pre-cooked chapatis that are easy to store, especially for those who order in bulk.

“My first order from abroad was for 100 pieces of chapatis. When I posted on social media that I was packing them for delivery abroad, I started building an overseas clientele.

“Every time they visit, or any of them come to Kenya, they take chapatis with them. For this season, many of them are coming back and they don’t want to cook for themselves, so I take up their meal orders,” she says.

Other clients are offices that contracted her for lunch orders, families and individuals around Lavington, Kilimani, Thika Road and Runda estates in Nairobi.

Many households have stopped the long-standing traditions of cooking chapatis at home to avoid hosting fatigue. Also, what makes Kenyans shift from making chapati at their homes is the desire to eat “beautifully layered chapatis”.

Online writer Rachael Masika is among those whose chapati-making skills have earned her a job. Her church commissioned her to make chapatis for the December festivities.

“In September, we had a fundraiser for the church, and as youths, we were assigned tasks. Mine was to cook chapatis, and since then, people have been complimenting me on how well I cooked my chapatis,” she says.

In December, the pastor of her church asked her to make chapatis for the Christmas and New Year celebrations. She also got orders from two members of her church who were getting married.

“It’s a new source of income for me now. However, as my work is just as demanding, I will only be cooking during the holidays.

“At the moment, I charge Sh40 a chapati. I am still new to this. Besides, it is not a full-time business for me,” says Ms Masika, laughing.

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