Inspiring Start-Ups with Juliet ETEFE: Reimagining local snacks for global shelves: The story of Akwaaba Fine Foods

• From passion for quality to international airline trays, this woman-led start-up is putting Ghanaian snacks on the world map

There’s something powerfully symbolic about watching a product from your homeland served at 30,000 feet aboard an international airline.

For Mrs. Mildred Akotia, Founder of Akwaaba Fine Foods, that moment wasn’t just a business milestone, it was a dream realised, watching travellers across the globe enjoy her Ghanaian-made snacks on board.

She saw validation that products made in Ghana, to global standards, can hold their own anywhere in the world.

But this success didn’t happen overnight. It was born from a deep-rooted passion and a relentless commitment to quality.

Curiosity to creation

On her travels, Mrs. Mildred Akotia, the brain behind Akwaaba Fine Foods, couldn’t help but notice the glaring absence of Ghanaian and West African food products on retail shelves. The few she did see were often poorly packaged and lacked the premium presentation needed to stand out. That absence raised a question that would eventually fuel her mission: Why can’t our foods sit proudly beside global brands?

“It bothered me that Ghanaian foods weren’t branded or presented in a way that reflected their true value,” she recalls. With a scientist’s mind and an entrepreneur’s heart, Mildred decided to do something about it.

In 2015, Akwaaba Fine Foods was born—a name that means “welcome” in the Akan language. True to its name, the brand aims to offer a warm welcome to global consumers through every snack it produces.

Drawing on her background in Biochemistry and Food Production Management, Mildred combined her knowledge of food safety, shelf-life technology and international standards to build a business rooted in quality.

With academic training from the University of Ghana and the University of Nottingham, plus practical experience at Ghana’s Food and Drugs Authority and international food giants like McVitie’s and Heinz, she was well equipped to take on the challenge.

Akwaaba Fine Foods

Today, Akwaaba Fine Foods is redefining what Ghanaian snacks can look and taste like on the global stage. The company’s product line is a tribute to Ghana’s rich culinary culture, crafted with care and precision:

• Dry-Roasted Cashews – Crunchy, preservative-free and sustainably sourced.
• Dry-Roasted Peanuts – A wholesome twist on a familiar snack.
• Agushie (Ground Melon Seeds) – Clean, convenient and ready-to-cook.
• Plantain Chips – A refined version of the West African staple.

Uniqueness

But what truly sets Akwaaba Fine Foods apart is its unrelenting focus on quality and presentation. Every product is hygienically processed, properly packaged and tested to meet international standards. Whether displayed on the shelves of Shoprite or served in the air, these snacks are positioned to compete globally.

“We don’t just sell snacks. We sell an experience—of home, of authenticity, of Ghana,” Mildred emphasised.

From local shelves to international aisles

The reach of Akwaaba Fine Foods today tells its own success story. Locally, the products are available in Shoprite, Maxmart, The Farmer’s Market, Marina Supermarket, Batsonaa Total, MIG Mart and other major outlets.

At Kotoka International Airport, travellers can find Akwaaba’s snacks at Dufry T3 duty-free shops. You may have also savoured the Akwaaba experience on Delta and United Airlines.

The brand has also earned its spot in the hospitality industry, featured by top-tier hotels and eateries such as The African Regent Hotel, Tang Palace Hotel, The Salad Bar (Osu) and The Bubra Spot at Terminal 3.

The Kosmos Innovation Centre (KIC) effect

Behind every thriving start-up is a moment of transformation. For Akwaaba Fine Foods, that moment came with its selection into the Kosmos Innovation Centre (KIC) Business Booster programme.

For Akwaaba Fine Foods, joining the programme marked a turning point that propelled the company from local promise to global potential.

While the business had a strong foundation in food science and quality assurance, scaling sustainably required more—especially in areas like financial management, investor engagement and environmental compliance. That’s where KIC stepped in, equipping Mildred and her team with essential tools to build a more structured, investment-ready enterprise.

“KIC has offered tremendous support for our business. My business was selected for a boot camp where there was extensive training on bookkeeping and accounting, tax compliance, environment, sustainability, and governance,” Mildred said.

Beyond technical skills, the programme provided a strategic edge. Through in-depth sessions on understanding and communicating investment needs, Akwaaba Fine Foods was prepared to approach potential investors with confidence and clarity.

“KIC supported and prepared us to be investor ready. This was done with training on understanding and communicating your investment need and investor pitching,” she added.

Perhaps just as critical was the access to new networks. The programme connected Mildred to mentors, industry players and platforms she wouldn’t have encountered otherwise—opening doors to new markets and collaborations.

Today, many of the company’s key achievements such as securing investment to fund its growth and expansion as well as informing a critical decision to enhance its financial and accounts management framework can be directly linked to the foundational support and exposure received through the KIC programme.

Akwaaba Fine Foods stands as a testament to what’s possible when visionary entrepreneurs are supported with the right knowledge, networks and opportunities.

Inclusive and impact-driven

At its core, Akwaaba Fine Foods is as much about people as it is about products. Over 90 percent of the company’s processing plant staff are women and youth from local communities. Through technical training, job creation and a culture of inclusion, the company is creating sustainable livelihoods while reducing unemployment.

The brand also walks the talk when it comes to ethical sourcing—working directly with rural women farmers and aggregators, paying fair prices and ensuring transparency in its supply chains.

“Our goal is not just to make profit but to create a ripple effect—supporting rural livelihoods, reducing poverty and contributing to national development through food,” Mildred says.

Recognition

Mildred received the Young Innovators Award in 2024 by Mastercard Foundation and implemented by the Ghana Grows Program by Springboard Roadshow Foundation.

Vision

Looking ahead, the vision is bold but grounded: to have at least one Akwaaba product in every home around the world.

In the medium term, the company aims to deepen its presence in strategic export markets and expand its distribution footprint in North America, Europe and parts of Africa.

Of course, challenges persist. Seasonality of raw materials and access to advanced manufacturing technologies remain hurdles. But through strategic partnerships and careful planning, the company is charting a path forward.

Words to the wise

To aspiring agripreneurs—especially women—Mildred offers sound advice: “Start small, but start right. Be ready to learn and unlearn. The agribusiness space has enormous potential, but it requires consistency, quality and a passion for impact.”

She emphasises the importance of mentorship, partnerships and platforms like KIC in accelerating growth, building capacity and shaping sustainable businesses.

Mildred is committed to seeing home-grown Ghanaian products proudly displayed alongside international brands on supermarket shelves worldwide.

Navigating gendered expectations

For Mildred Akotia, being a woman in agribusiness comes with more than just market competition—it also means juggling deeply rooted societal expectations. She notes that unlike male counterparts who can devote long hours to building their businesses, women like her are often bound by dual roles: entrepreneur and caregiver.

“For a business that a man can close very late, for a young woman like me, unfortunately after 3 p.m.; my workday shifts from business to home—school runs, homework, dinner and everything else,” she shared.

These gendered demands, she admits, are one of the biggest challenges women face in the sector.

Yet, her ability to balance both worlds with resilience underscores the need for more supportive systems that empower women entrepreneurs to thrive without compromise.

She hasn’t let those limits define her journey. Still, she rises each day to build a thriving brand, proving that resilience, vision and passion can break boundaries. Her story is not just about growing a business—it’s about redefining what’s possible for women in agriculture.

Married with three energetic children, she balances her roles as CEO, innovator, wife and mother.

Contact details

Contact: +233 54 866 3319
Email: [email protected]
Socials: Instagram & Facebook – @akwaabafinefoods
Website: www.akwaabafinefoods.com

 

The Author
Ms. Juliet Selase Etefe is a business journalist and Online Editor at the Business & Financial Times. She believes every journey has a story worth telling. Through the Inspiring Start-Ups Column, she shares the stories of bold entrepreneurs, resilient businesses, thriving SMEs, and visionary leaders whose ideas, innovation, and determination are creating impact, shaping industries, and inspiring the next generation of changemakers. She can be reached at [email protected] | LinkedIn: Juliet Etefe | +233 54 784 5547

The post Inspiring Start-Ups with Juliet ETEFE: Reimagining local snacks for global shelves: The story of Akwaaba Fine Foods appeared first on The Business & Financial Times.

Read More