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His brand, Adedaas Smallchops rings a bell than his name, Adewale Adeowo. He is fondly called Adedaas, and he has carved a niche for himself in the nations smallchops sector. The brand started in 2004, this year making it 11 years in business. This young enterpreneur is aBusiness Management graduate of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA. He started his foray into the Smallchops business by helping his Mum in her restaurant back in the 80s. His little knowledge made him seek more training from the popular Mama Cass Restaurant where he learnt about catering. Shortly after his training, he got a plum job at Coca-Cola Nigeria where he served as the Special Event Manager, it was during his stay at Coca-Cola that he decided to venture into the Smallchops business, where he was using his salary to pay his staff. Few days back, City People Magazinel spent an afternoon in his Lagos Island office where he narrated his sojourn into the Smallchops world and how he has been able to build Adeedas into a big brand in 11 years.
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It has been 11 years since Adeedas started operations, how has it been so far?
We thank God for this moment and all through the years, it has not been easy to run a company successfully for 11 years but I think not compromising standards and determination has been our sustenance.
What is Adedaas group all about?
Adedaas group is into many things but we are mostly known as a Smallchops company. We do other things like furniture and interior decor and at the same time, we manufacture paints and also we help with drinks for events.
Adedaas is synonymous with Smallchops, how come you diversified into other businesses?
Yes, Adedaas started with Smallchops and when we started, I and my wife were managing the business together. So I thought of diversifying into other things that will bring in income so that the bills can be paid in running the home. So having a furniture background, made me think of what I can invest in, so furniture and interior came to my mind so while doing that, we always had problems of painting for our clients, so I thought of manufacturing it myself since I have the resources, so I got an expert who has worked with one of the big paint companies in Nigeria. We put all resources together and here we are doing well at it.
Adedaas Smallchops has become a brand in 11 years, how did it all start?
Adedaas started in 2004 and it was incooperated in 2005. I worked with Coca-Cola as special event manager, then we had just 2 major players in the industry and the competition was not that stiff and being a graduate who had experience in organising events; I saw some loop holes which I think I could fill so I told my wife. I told some people that I am going into the Smallchop business too, so with my wife’s experience in catering and with my own experience as well in catering because my mother used to have a restaurant way back in the 80s. After my secondary school, I worked briefly with Mama Cass, since I had the experience I thought going into the business will not be a bad idea so I and my wife made up our mind to start up, I was working with Coca-Cola and she was managing the business. I was giving her the idea, all the support she needed and that was how the journey started.
How have you been able to cope with the competition right now?
Yes, to me competition is a drive, it drives me to do more because if you want to be at the top, you should take your competitors into consideration, and if you are not there, there is nothing to drive you, so I don’t see them as challenges, I see them as drive force, what gives us the edge is the uniqueness in our taste, because our taste stands us out, when people eat our smallchops outside, without seeing the brand, they can distinguish that this is Adedaas Smallchops because of the taste. Our service delivery as well in terms of events and outdoor catering also stands us out, we have well trained and cultured staff, the way they dress and relate with people shows they are trained. So people who want to be identified with professionalism, quality, and unique taste will always come for us.
Catering business is majorly played amongst women, was there any challenge for you when you started?
Honestly, it never crossed my mind that I will ever go into catering business, I tell people that during any phase in life, opportunity comes around, it now depends on you to see it as an opportunity, so I saw it and being the 1st born and 1st son, working at my mum’s restaurants with the training at Mama Cass Restaurant, I just decided to put my experience together to get more exposed and that is where my sojourn into the smallchops business started because from day one that I joined Coca-Cola, I have it at the back of my mind that I won’t work for long and I want to go into my own business, so when the opportunity came, I grabbed it, destiny brought the job to me, I never had the intention of doing it.
How financial rewarding has the business been?
The business is lucrative if you are ready to give the best to your customers. It is the amount of turnovers that makes the business worthwhile because if you are not doing enough turnovers, you will not be able to break even because with the number of staff you have and also government taxes then your turnover must be high to break even because food is very essential in everyone’s life.
How many events do you handle in a week?
Outdoor event? I can say about an average of 6 events per week, we have a lot of hands and staff, people do orders from offices so we work every day.
Can you tell us about your background?
I went to Federal University of Technology, Akure. I studied Business Management, I am married with kids, I am the 1st born and 1st son of my parents.
How did you come about the name Adedaas?
It is the combination of my name, my wife’s name and my children.
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