Startup Story
Charlotte Binya is the founder of Country Foods SARL which is an agri-food company based in Douala, Cameroon, producing products such as fish, pork, beef sausages, natural jams, natural fruit juices and peanut butter. Holder of an engineering diploma in transformation and quality control of fishery products, Charlotte is also a trainer in the food industry and delivers several training courses in the food industry, as well as with international organizations, individuals or companies wishing to update their teams in the food industry.
LoA spoke to Charlotte this month to learn more about her passion for innovation in the food processing business and her vision for the future.
What does your company do?
We are an agro-food company, service provider and importer / exporter.
“My primary satisfaction is having the feeling of helping people through my products and services.”
“The uniqueness of our products is that they are natural and without chemicals, have a long shelf life, and are made from natural ingredients.”
What inspired you to start your company?
I have always been a fighter and I have done several varied jobs so far. I created my business from all this experience because it was an obvious choice for me.
Why should anyone use your service or product?
Apart from the fish sausages which were our first innovation in the business, the uniqueness of our products is that they are natural and without chemicals, have a long shelf life, and are made from natural ingredients.
Tell us a little about your team
My team is mainly made up of women, headed by a woman like me. Our accountant is a young graduate of the University of Douala with 2 years’ experience, she is 25 years old. The sales manager is a 32-year-old and a graduate of business school with over 8 years of experience in marketing and customer management.
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
My classic day starts at 4:30am. I get up, I say my prayers, then at 5.00am I go to the market to do my restaurant's shopping (I forgot to mention, Country Foods is at a branch called Kontry Tchop which is a restaurant chain based in Douala since May 2021). After the shopping I spend time in the kitchen where I cook until 10.00am at the most. After that, I then get ready to go to Country Foods where I supervise the production of our food products and oversee the smooth running of things until 6.00pm, where I then return to the restaurant until 9.00pm…and so on.
“In terms of our future plans and aspirations for the company, we want to spread our products throughout Africa and in the world.”
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
We want to spread our products throughout Africa and in the world.
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
My primary satisfaction is having the feeling of helping people through my products and services.
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
If you want to be an entrepreneur, first analyze your environment, see which product corresponds best to your environment, and if your product corresponds, then start without hesitating.
Find out more
EMAIL charlottebinya@gmail.com
Why LoA loves it…
They say that creating great food is an expression of love, and for entrepreneur Charlotte Binya, her love for creating great and innovative food products for her customers shines through. She knows her market and its needs, and works hard to create healthy food products and experiences that will keep her customers coming back time and again. Businesses such as Charlotte’s are so important to Africa’s growth as they extend the agri-value chain in local communities, creating healthy food products and creating jobs. — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo, Lionesses of Africa