We believe in the ever expanding African Businesses. From Startup to big corporation, we believe entrepreneurship is the driving force for a thriving economy. Our Chief Mixer, Freda Obeng-Ampofo had a chat with Vieews and she explained why Kaeme, an African Business has included Scented Soy Candle and Toiletry Bags to our product line.
This post was first published here.
In 2016, Freda Obeng-Ampofo’s hobby of making skincare products for herself and as gifts for friends took an entrepreneurial turn and became Kaeme, a premium Ghanaian personal care company.
Prior to that, Freda had developed a time-tested formula for transforming raw, unrefined shea butter into a creamy, nourishing moisturiser that did not compromise its natural wholesomeness and made both skin and hair more supple. She also created a complementary shea-based liquid black soap based on her firm belief in the inherent value of traditional Ghanaian skincare ingredients, rooted in years of using them herself.
Kaeme offers a line of lightly-scented and unscented creams and soaps, scented soy wax candles, and vibrant toiletry bags. Kaeme products are distinct because they evoke a strong sense of authenticity and luxury that turn users into loyal #Kaemelovers for life. Their word-of-mouth reviews and recommendations are what have taken Kaeme beyond Ghana onto the West African market. This is done through a distributor network that organically evolved after its products were experienced personally or as gifts and vacation souvenirs. Independent distributors in Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, and Nigeria retail Kaeme products in addition to the company’s physical locations and vendor network in Accra. Global orders are also made online via www.kaeme.com.
Social media remains one of Kaeme’s go-to tools for interacting with customers, either to get their feedback or identify potential product lines. Their Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter feeds (@hellokaeme) are alive with user reviews, skincare fun facts and seasonal promotions.
Kaeme currently has a team of six dynamic individuals who run its production, operations, customer experience, and sales and marketing divisions. Kaeme believes today’s sophisticated customers deserve the very best with respect to product quality and service delivery, and these principles underlie how its enterprise is managed on all fronts. In addition, internship opportunities are offered to undergraduate students as an avenue for imparting practical, employable skills.
Doing business in Africa is immensely promising in spite of peculiar technological and regional-trade challenges, and Kaeme continues to highlight this in its interactions at various local and international fora.
From speaking as a panelist at the ITC MSME Day 2019, Geneva and the Ghana Diaspora Celebration & Homecoming Summit ‘19, Accra; to participating in the Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2019, The Hague, Kaeme shares its perspectives on the needed measures to take ownership of Africa’s untapped business potential for our continent’s collective gain. It may take more grit to flourish here, but every hurdle inspires ingenuity – and that is a reflection of Kaeme’s journey.
