For food businesses, quality products alone are not enough. Sustainable growth also depends on proper packaging, strong business systems, and earning customer trust.
For Ummukulthum Baba, founder of Arewabloom Commodities, Shecluded provided the key support needed to transform a growing food business into a brand ready for larger markets.
The Turning Point: From Local to Professional
When Ummukulthum joined the CFYE x Shecluded Incubator, Arewabloom Commodities was just nine months old.
Like many young businesses, the brand faced several early obstacles. These included limited market visibility, basic digital marketing skills, and a lack of professional branding. Furthermore, separating personal and business finances was a constant struggle. This financial overlap made it difficult to track actual profits and make informed decisions.
Looking for a solution, Ummukulthum discovered Shecluded on Instagram and decided to apply.
Transforming Knowledge into Mindset and Business Growth
The program immediately delivered practical, eye-opening lessons that accelerated Ummukulthum’s growth. First, she learned how to set up professional social media profiles and create secure e-payment links for her customers. Second, she mastered the basics of running targeted online advertisements to reach her ideal audience.
Additionally, the program introduced her to business pitching. Ummukulthum shares, One of the most valuable things I learned was how to pitch my business, it was my very first time seeing a pitch session, and having the opportunity to pitch my own business was incredibly empowering.
Following the training, she quickly established strict financial discipline by separating her personal money from company funds. These structural changes immediately upgraded her business from a local operation to a professional brand.
Accelerating Market Traction: 70% Repeat Buyers
Even as an early-stage business, Arewabloom Commodities is already seeing remarkable market growth.
Through a mix of direct sales and strategic social media marketing, the business has successfully served between 30 and 40 households. More importantly, they boast an impressive 70% customer retention rate. This high number of repeat buyers proves that customers deeply value the hygiene and convenience of the products.
The brand’s popular, growing product lineup features natural, high-quality items. These include nutritious infant food blends like Tom Brown, alongside ginger, baobab leaf, locust beans, chili pepper, okro, and kulikuli powders.
Scaling Up for the Future
Today, Arewabloom Commodities is actively preparing for its next phase of rapid growth.
To expand her reach, Ummukulthum is working toward NAFDAC registration. This official certification will allow her to supply major supermarkets and wholesalers across Nigeria. To make her products even more accessible, she also plans to introduce smaller, highly affordable packaging sizes.
On the production side, weather dependency remains a challenge. To solve this, Ummukulthum is investing in a commercial dehydrator. This equipment will replace traditional sun-drying, keeping production fast, consistent, and highly scalable even during the rainy season.
A Vision for Safer Food
With her newfound skills and unwavering dedication, Ummukulthum is fully focused on scaling her brand. Thanks to Shecluded, Arewabloom Commodities now has the solid systems, professional tools, and clear direction needed to deliver safe, quality food to households nationwide.
Support and Patronize Arewabloom Commodities:
Ready to bring healthy, hygienic, and time-saving traditional food powders into your kitchen? Click below to browse their collection and make an order:
- Follow and Shop on Instagram: @arewabloomspices
