A Dialog with Diana Nabukenya Adeyemi, Founder of Richland Foods Ltd
Diana Nabukenya Adeyemi, Co-founder and CEO of Richland Foods Ltd, is the trailblazing entrepreneur in the benefit of the Yo ‘Nyama tag — a immediate-rising community of halal butchery kitchens in Uganda. Her lag, which began throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, has grew to become a family farm animals operation accurate into a novel, price-added meat processing replace. Diana shares insights into her lag, challenges in Uganda’s male-dominated agribusiness keep, and the transformational impact of taking half in dfcu Financial institution’s Rising Lady Initiative.
QUESTION: What inspired you to begin Richland Foods Ltd?
ANSWER: I launched Richland Foods in 2020 throughout the lockdown, pushed by a ardour for shapely, win, and fine quality meat. My trip out of the country opened my eyes to Uganda’s unhappy meat-facing practices, and I knew we would attain better. With our family’s farm animals farm already in residing, we built a appropriate away-to-user model to cast off exploitative middlemen, launching Yo ‘Nyama — a halal, unique meat tag rooted in meals security and buyer believe.
Q: What indispensable challenges did you face, in particular as a lady in agribusiness?
A: Being a lady in a male-dominated sector got right here with doubts, pushback, and exploitation, in particular from middlemen. Balancing full-time work while bootstrapping the replace changed into exhausting. Financing changed into tricky, in particular for instruments, and managing of us without formal HR techniques changed into one other hurdle. The shortage of legislation in meat processing also meant competing with informal players who cleave corners.
Q: What values e book your leadership and replace choices?
A: Integrity, buyer focal level, and accountability are at our core. For my half, I lead with ardour and persistence. Agility would possibly perchance be key; we adapt rapid to altering trends and buyer desires, which has helped us evolve from uncooked meat gross sales to ready-to-relish, smoked meat offerings that stand out available in the market.
Q: What makes Richland Foods outlandish in the agricultural price chain?
A: Yo ‘Nyama is extra than a butchery; we’re innovating with unhurried-smoked meats, marinated cuts, sausages, and extra. Our price-addition diagram ensures quality, meals security, and import substitution. We smoke meats for 12–24 hours for tenderness and flavour, giving customers extra healthy, domestically-produced choices.
Q5: How attain you offer your uncooked offers? End you’re employed with native farmers?
A: Yes. We work with over 100 without prolong registered farmers in Kampala, Wakiso, and Mukono, and our farm in Zirobwe offers poultry, eggs, and vegetables. We also partner with smallholder farmers for potatoes, spices, and herbs. Our price chain helps both rural farmers and concrete customers.
You have not any longer tasted meals if you happen to include gotten no longer been to YoNyama…. @Nalya. Ehhh ehhhh… of us plug and live a exiguous little bit of @BNIuganda @ManLikeDero @_Ikanza @m_ndungutse @Soloestee @SharonTees @MartinMudiima pic.twitter.com/O4rObDDasO
— Dr. Vicent Bakyenga (@VBakyenga) February 3, 2025
Q: How did you uncover relating to the dfcu Rising Lady Initiative, and why did you instruct?
A: A chum encouraged me to benefit a Girls in Commerce occasion at dfcu. I changed into inspired by the message and felt considered. We utilized, leveraging our improved pitch skills and the trip changed into transformational.
Q: What changed into your trip throughout the dfcu Rising Lady program?
A: It changed into gaze-opening. The judges’ suggestions pushed us to undertake halal certification, now central to our tag. The Nairobi publicity outing connected me with tantalizing ladies entrepreneurs and reaffirmed that being a lady isn’t any longer a limitation; it’s an edge.
Q: What impact did being ranked in the conclude 10 include on your replace?
A: It validated our work and opened doorways. It proved that you don’t need shortcuts to succeed — appropriate a obvious imaginative and prescient, integrity, and consistency.
Q: What measurable impact has Richland Foods had to this point?
A: We present over 500 properties weekly, without prolong toughen 100+ farmers, and have not without prolong labored with practically 1,000 over 5 years. We make exercise of 20+ team without prolong, 50+ indirectly — from offer riders to rural animal traders and packers. Our replace is an ecosystem that helps livelihoods across the price chain.
Last Thoughts:
A: The dfcu Rising Lady Initiative helped us refine our technique and unlock contemporary alternatives. It’s a platform for visibility, mentorship, and prolonged-time length hiss. As a lady entrepreneur, I think this originate of toughen is what transforms seemingly into vitality.
