Fabrice Kabamba Ngalamulume | November 8, 2024
News Brief
In Kananga, DRC, 21-year-old entrepreneur Giscard Katala has turned his family’s homemade mayonnaise recipe into a thriving business, KTL Firm. Launched in 2022, his enterprise now produces 1,500 liters of mayonnaise monthly, generating significant income and employing 10 others. Initially facing challenges with customer trust, Mr. Katala built his brand’s reputation by taking potential customers on tours of his facility to showcase his high-quality product. Today, local shops and restaurants favor his mayonnaise, boosted by his in-person marketing, social media efforts, and radio promotions.
Giscard Katala sits in his small office along National Highway No. 1, in the Plateau district of Kananga, DRC. The 21-year-old student and entrepreneur is busy taking orders from customers. His mayonnaise business, launched in 2022, has grown steadily.
Instead of pursuing a job with a company, Mr. Katala decided to turn his family’s traditional recipe for homemade mayonnaise—made from eggs, lemon, and vegetable oil—into a business. He credits his mother with teaching him the recipe, which he later improved by watching YouTube tutorials. Using his savings, he purchased an immersion blender to get started. He says, “I began by producing just two litres of mayonnaise a day. Now, I’m making 1,500 litres a month.” His business grew steadily as he saved earnings from each sale.
Currently, Mr. Katala produces around 300 bottles of mayonnaise per month, each 50 cl in size. This brings in 2,250,000 Congolese francs (about $766 US), with monthly profits reaching up to 1,000,000 Congolese francs (approximately $340 US). His business has grown significantly, now employing a team of 10 people dedicated to both production and distribution under the brand name “KTL Firm.”
Thanks to the high quality of his products, he has become the preferred supplier for five stores and five restaurants. He explains, “The KTL Firm has seven sales agents. These agents are responsible for delivering to clients who order more than 50 bottles.”
Mr. Katala recalls that when he first started, he faced difficulties selling his products because merchants didn’t trust the quality of his mayonnaise. He explains, “When I presented the product to my clients, they doubted it.” To address this challenge, he organized tours of his production process for clients, highlighting the organic nature of his mayonnaise. Through his determination and professionalism, he gradually earned the trust of his customers.
To expand his clientele, Mr. Katala participates in in-person business and entrepreneurship conferences, where he showcases his jars of mayonnaise. Additionally, he leverages social media and radio to promote his products effectively.
Alice Bashale is a shopkeeper who has been a customer of KTL Firm for five months. She shares her satisfaction with the quality of their mayonnaise. She says, “My customers love KTL mayonnaise. It’s a truly appetizing local craft. I highly recommend it to the people of Kananga.” Mrs. Bashale adds that she consumes KTL mayonnaise to support local producers.
Jean-Paul Mulumba is a young worker at KTL Firm. Since 2023, he has been in charge of marketing. He loves promoting local products and sees it as more than just a job—it’s something that really matters to him. Mr. Mulumba says, “Personally, I receive at least 142,000 Congolese francs (about $50 US) as a bonus, and that can vary at any time. We are working on stabilizing it in the coming days.”
François Kadima is an entrepreneurship expert and head of the International Motivation Center, which trains young entrepreneurs in the DRC. He appreciates Mr. Katala’s work in producing local mayonnaise. He says, “He is a dynamic and committed young man who loves what he does. He has a bright future.” Mr. Kadima believes that many young people are focused on looking for jobs, but they could actually create wealth and jobs for themselves by investing in agricultural entrepreneurship.
He argues that this is partly because young agricultural entrepreneurs in the DRC lack support and funding. However, he encourages young people to be creative and dedicated, like Mr. Katala. He advises them to form partnerships to establish agricultural processing companies.
Mr. Katala’s business provides him with a steady income, and now he wants to focus entirely on it. He dreams of becoming a leader in the mayonnaise market in the DRC by increasing his monthly production.
This story is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents are the responsibility of Farm Radio International and Catholic Relief Services, recipient of agreement and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.
Photo: Mr. Katala making mayonnaise in the DRC, 2024.