Ben Aziabou, a computer technology student at TU Dortmund University, remembers bissap from his youth, when his mom utilized to make it herself in the kitchen area. “I’ve resided in Germany for a very long time, so I had not drunk bissap in ages,” he states. In spring 2022, it occurred once again, however he was unable to find it in any grocery store in Germany. Without further ado, he developed his own bissap recipe. When his girlfriend Marya Kapenda, a management and economics trainee at Ruhr University Bochum (RUB), attempted it for the first time, she was encouraged. “More individuals need to find out about bissap,” she stated. “What’s more, hibiscus is a real superfood. It’s rich in antioxidants, along with consisting of a lot of iron and vitamin C.”
First steps at a Christmas market
The very same year presented the very first chance to evaluate whether people in Germany would like it. The start-up business owners provided their first hundred bottles of bissap for sale at a Christmas market in Perfume. “To produce enough, we stood in our cooking area all day long,” says Ben Aziabou. By that point, Marya Kapenda had currently created the logo. The beverage offered out– all one hundred bottles– on the extremely first day. “Lots of people recognized with bissap from their own journeys to Africa or bought the bottles as presents,” states Marya Kapenda. Ben Aziabou adds: “We were rather worried that individuals might be biased versus an African beverage, but up until now everyone likes it.” It is exactly since African items are frequently underrepresented or stereotyped in Germany that the two trainees want to interact a favorable picture of African culture through their start-up.
Goal is a youth center in Togo
At about the exact same time, the two young business owners developed another vision that they intend to satisfy with the sale of their beverages. They saw during a journey to Togo that there was barely anywhere for kids and youngsters to fulfill up, which is why they wish to use the earnings from their start-up to open a youth center in Togo. “The idea also pertained to us due to the fact that for several years we helped to arrange a children’s and youth program in Dortmund,” says Marya Kapenda. “We understand how important such locations are for development and interaction.”
From a concept to their own organization
With the very first successes under their belt, both wanted to continue. Bissap ought to end up being a business endeavor. Their first port of call was WORLDFACTORY, the start-up center at RUB, where they were given professional guidance on how to start a business and recognized initial contacts to the start-up scene. They worked on their concept for a year before finally establishing “afro beverages by bam GmbH” in 2023. The consultants at the Center for Entrepreneurship & Transfer (CET) at TU Dortmund University drew the team’s attention to the “Gründungsstipendium NRW”, a start-up grant awarded by the State of North Rhine-Westphalia. “We applied, and our pitch successfully convinced the jury, so we received the grant for an entire year,” Ben Aziabou is proud to report.
At today time, they are working to bring in natural supermarkets and delicatessens as circulation partners. From the end of January, bissap will be on sale in the main canteen at TU Dortmund University and quickly also in a store right in the middle of Bochum city center. The plan is to present further African sodas into the German market in the coming years.
About the start-up