Faith Linyonyi is a writer and entrepreneur living in Kajiado, Kenya. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Statistics from Kenyatta University, and is the Founder of Ulimi Green, a business that delivers preboiled traditional greens to customers in Nairobi and its environs.
1.Describe the business – What do you do and where are you based?
Ulimi Green is an indigenous greens food store. We deliver preboiled greens to customers all across Nairobi and its environs. We also sell dried traditional vegetables especially to those traveling abroad.
2. How did the business get started?
I started the business in 2022 when I had taken a career break after suffering from burnout. After a few months of downtime, I challenged myself to start a business as I continued to figure out what mattered most to me in terms of work and life. I promised myself I would work on the first business idea that came to mind and that’s how Ulimi Green was built.
3. Is there a set of skills you need to run a business like this? Which ones do you have?
For any business having business management skills like customer relations management, basic financial recording and marketing are important. Those I had acquired from my previous employers.
There’s also skills around negotiating with partners, executive decision making and handling the actual greens that I have had to learn along the way. In the beginning, I was not as knowledgeable in the different types of greens. Right now I am quite knowledgeable and can comfortably advise clients.
4. What would you like to see more of, especially in Kenya, when it comes to the food industry?
The food industry as well as the agricultural sector in Kenya has a lot of opportunities. I would love to see priorities redirected to ensure there are sustainable farming practices and better food distribution. The fertile land and human resource is enough to ensure each Kenyan gets affordable nutritious food and everyone on the distribution chain earns a fair income as opposed to today where farmers and mama mbogas barely make a living.
5. Where did you find the inspiration for this business?
Working in a leading restaurant chain exposed me to a lot of opportunities in the hospitality and food industry. I left employment curious about what Nairobians truly need and what they were willing to pay for when it came to food. I was inspired by Nairobeans (a store that sells preboiled legumes) to start Ulimi Green because I saw a gap in the market.
I am also very inspired by indigenous lifestyles and the idea that practices around indigenous food can make people healthier and are sustainable for the environment and our culture. This motivated me to make it convenient for those who want to eat more greens.
6. What have been some of the challenges you’ve faced? Lessons learned?
At the beginning some relatives were against the business as they didn’t understand the concept. It’s difficult to endure ridicule and sabotage from people who you would expect to support you emotionally and financially.
I learned to trust the purity of my purpose, lean into those who saw the vision and prioritize feedback from customers.
7. What has been your proudest moment/achievement so far?
This month we’re setting up shop in the Nairobi CBD. It’s a proud moment to finally have a physical location where our customers can engage with us directly. I am also very proud and affirmed by the year on year increase in sales. Receiving feedback of how our clients’ diets have improved is always fascinating.
8. Where would you like to see the business go over the next 3 years?
A lot of scaling is in the plan for Ulimi Green. I would like to secure investment capital to meet the growing demand. This will help us expand our customer base and offer greens that are more niche so that a family from Senegal for example can have a taste of home right here in Nairobi.
Growing the cultural arm of the brand is also in the works: documenting the role of the mama mboga in Kenyan history, how to grow traditional greens in your kitchen garden, sustainable farming and feeding practices among others. Collecting this information in a coffee table book would be a dream come true for me.
9. What advice would you give women looking to take the leap into running their own business?
Start small and start today by selling to one person and then another despite the fear. Celebrate your wins, big and small. Be compassionate when you make mistakes. Take care of yourself and your body. Order from Ulimi Green and be in community always.
Bonus Question
10. What are some of your favourite businesses/brands in that are women owned/led in Africa?
I love the work that Usikimye does to advocate for victims of sexual violence. Led by Njeri Migwi, they work tirelessly to raise funds and awareness. I admire how they use social media for a campaign that is not necessarily popular but is urgent and necessary.
I also love Digital Girl Africa founded by South African Ian Mangenga. Earlier this year I started Doctor Deni, a business to help individuals manage their debt. Our flagship product is a debt tracking app and seeing Ian sharing her journey as a black woman in the tech space is very inspiring to me.
Get in touch with Ulimi Green through the contacts below.
- Phone number: 0111 28 66 08
- WhatsApp: wa.me/254111286608
- Instagram: @ulimigreen
- Twitter: @ulimigreen
- TikTok: @ulimigreen
