Asiome Kwametse Adoboe with samples of the Busybee Honey products
A Ghanaian youth who did not fall to the temptation of waiting to be employed by government or anyone after school but chose to develop his skill in honey production for commercial purposes is making headway.
Thirty-two-year-old Asiome Kwametse Adoboe, a graduate of the Kofi Annan ICT Centre in Accra, is currently the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Busybee Honey Ghana Limited, which is busily preparing to launch itself in Ghana, the sub-region and internationally.
He has, indeed, proved to school leavers that self-employment is the way to go.
Founded four years ago, Busybee Honey has already found its way to some big shops and malls in Accra and other regional capitals, with patronage soaring by the day, largely due to its standard attractive packaging and exceptional treatment.
However, Busybee Honey Limited is facing a lot of challenges and now needs the support of both local and international investors with the financial muscle to help it become an international brand.
In an interview with DAILY GUIDE, Kwametse Adoboe gave an insight into the operations of Busybee Honey Ghana.
“We source honey from local bee-keepers who do not have a ready market for their produce. We hygienically treat, package and sell these to our clients. At least this assures them of a ready market. Thanks be to God, we now have our own bee farms in partnership with the bee-keepers and associations in the country. Also, we have invested in test kits and other important equipment needed to commercially produce honey,” he disclosed.
“In fact, our products are enjoying good patronage from the shops and malls. And we have our own website and Facebook accounts which make marketing easier. For example, we have the products in Palace Shopping Mall, Game, Martins Mall, Farmers Market and Sranak in Tesano, among others. We have motorbikes for delivery to clients on demand,” he emphasised.
Mr. Adoboe said prior to beginning this venture, he was into advertising, graphic designing and branding.
“I did some work for Samsung and Alcatel but did not find any satisfaction because the competition was tough. I started to develop my CV too but I realised it was not attracting the attention I was looking for,” he added.
Though Busybee Honey now has few staff, he said it hopes to employ more hands when it attracts good investors locally and internationally.
Giving an advice to Ghana’s youth to be self-employed, he said the youth can harness their potentials if only they are ready to see challenges as around them as opportunities and transform them into something significant.
For now, he said Busybee Honey Ghana is not exporting any of its products. “We have acquired FDA certification and preparing to export.”
He added that at a time, he had to sell his car and travel to Dubai on a trade mission. “I got introduced to a lot of investors but that could not go any further. Fortunately, I met some Black Americans who were into exporting coffee and cashew. They signed a $10 million trade deal with my company for five years. That deal is on Amazon with a promising future.
He has appealed to banks in Ghana to try and look out for inspiring youth projects like Busybee Honey Ghana, which has high prospects and assists those with funds to truly move Ghana beyond aid.
BY Samuel Boadi