This archive report was first published on 21 June 2020.
Family Spells Doom for My Mandazi Business ¶
As the founder of Mwisho wa Lami's mandazi business, I never imagined that my family would become my biggest competitors. But that's exactly what happened when my sister-in-law, Fiolina, and her daughters, Electina and Honda, decided to start their own mandazi business.
It all started when I outsourced baking to Anindo's place due to internal challenges in ensuring consistent and timely production. But little did I know that my own brother-in-law's daughters, Electina and Honda, had been secretly working with Anindo to steal our customers.
On a typical day, I would wake up at 7:30 am and head to Anindo's place to pick up the mandazi. But one day, I discovered that Branton, my nephew, was eating mandazi at the kitchen, and Electina and Honda were packing them. They were shocked to see me, but I didn't quarrel with them since they were just following instructions from Fiolina.
Fiolina seemed ready for me, saying, 'We are all looking for money, so let's compete and see who will win this.' She added that Mwisho wa Lami was big enough to accommodate both of us. But I told her it was wrong to compete with a family member, and I needed Branton to help me with deliveries.
However, Branton had shifted allegiance and was now working for Fiolina. I tried talking to him, but he had made up his mind. I eventually dropped the local deliveries and concentrated on far-flung areas. But Fiolina was not done yet. She told me that she had engaged Nyayo to start making mandazi for her long distance supplies, so she could directly compete with me.
As I write this, I am still trying to come to terms with the fact that my own family has turned against me. I hope that one day, we can put our differences aside and work together again.
Published on June 21, 2020.
