Joab Okeya: Meet former hawker and owner of a multimillion-shilling city restaurant

The multimillionaire described his journey to success, from his first hawking job to owning and operating a restaurant worth KES 30 million.

It all began when he began selling cowpea leaves (Kunde) at the Muthurwa market. He dutifully completed the task, and shortly after, he was hired as a waiter in one of the city’s restaurants.

However, his turning point came when he was hired as a chef at Ranallo Foods in Nairobi, where he spent nine years earning money and ostensibly researching Nairobians’ food patterns for his own business.

Partnership

Mr Okeya claims they formed The Branch in a 50-50 partnership with a proprietor after they collected about Sh30 million for the enterprise.

He claims the goal was to branch out and broaden his horizons by seeking a new job at a high-end restaurant where he could further his career.

Perfecting the Art

Okeya claims he did every work at home as a young kid in a household of 11 children in the depths of Nyanza. That’s when he realized he was interested in food.

In addition, when he was placed first in a Home Science class at school, his boyhood goal became a reality. As a result, he knew his education would be in food science.

Whereas if Branch’s menu was conveying the narrative of a keen reader of his surroundings, he must have observed the behaviour and tastes of visitors while in his previous position.

Business Boom

Ranallo is known for its traditional meals, which have attracted customers from all walks of life. Mr Okeya’s encounters with consumers at Ranallo aided in the development of a friendship and trust that has now blossomed into a commercial partnership.

The Branch can accommodate up to 500 people on a good day, with popular dishes including coconut, and wet and dry fish.

They are usually on time and their meals are always fresh at The Branch because quality is their value proposition.