THE SPLASH YOGHURT EXPERIENCE

A lot of young university graduates have great business ideas but lack the the wherewithal to put their thoughts into action.
Others also think that,the only way they can succeed in life is to get a white collar job.However,a 25-year-old biochemist who is a product of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology(KNUST),has proved that is possible to succeed in life without looking to the formal sector for employment.
Ayesha Adam Hadir, a Muslim woman,who set up her own yogurt processing factory,named Splash Foods Processing Ventures whilst in the third year at the University,believes that everything is possible.
"Young graduates needn't sit idle at home doing nothing"start something,she told the Spectator,at her factory located at Awoshie,in Accra.
She says that even if you get employed anywhere,you can still do your own business on the side.After a semester's course on 'fermentation',and her younger sister's craving the fresh yogurt which she always bought for her and the family,coupled with her theoretical knowledge in yogurt preparation,she tried her hands at it in her mother's kitchen.
The outcome,of her try was horrible so she contacted those already in the industry but failed to show her the trick.She then called her lecturer,to share her frustrations with him and seek advice.
What spurred Ayesha on was this statement from Dr.l.W.Ofosu,"fermentation is not an art and not a science."she kept trying until she had it right.
Ayesha started with only 10 bottles,sent them to a friend's mum's shop for sale.Her father,Alhaji Hadir Adam,saw the potentials in the business and offered her 100 us dollars.With that money,she bought the needed items and moved to her mother's shop.
After production,she will board,"trotro",and do the distribution herself.Soon,her vacation was over.
Ayesha produces yogurt in vanilla,strawberry,pineapple and lemon flavors.She has just launched her new product,'millet consisting of yogurt and millet which tastes so good.
Ayesha has a food Handlers Certificates from Accra Metropolitan Assembly(AMA),and her range of products have been certified by Ghana Standard Board.They also follow strict health practices.
Her products are distributed to various Hotels and Supermarkets around the city of Accra and she intends expanding her market soon.
The production of Splash Yogurt began in 2006,during her third year at the University.By then,she had trained her Mum,Hajia Jamila Omar and a few aunties to take over the job whilst she also started production in school.
It was through the support of a room's boyfriend nicknamed Splash,who did aggressive marketing on campus,whom the yogurt was named after,that the product saw light.
By the time she returned from school,her mother had saved enough to repair an accident car her father had offered to her business.She improved the quality of the production.
Her work with Food and Drugs Boards after school and with Golden Tulip,Kumasi city as Food safety supervisor for a year,gave her wealth of experience.
Due to the divided attention for splash and her job at Kumasi,she quit to focus on her business.
Ayesha received an interest-free loan to inject into her business.With that,she built a cold-room and purchased tricycle for distribution of her products.
'Fresh yogurt helps her improve one's immune system:helps prevent cancer.Those with lactose intolerance can be put on fresh yogurt for between three to six months as treatment",she said.
Splash Foods Processing faces high cost of electricity,distribution in its supply and machinery constraints.
Processing machine to process milk into yogurt is being built to augment those available.
Ayesha ensures there is continuous supervision at her factory as people will always do what you inspect and not what you expect.
She is a member of the Ghana Muslim Academy,a group of Muslim intellectuals,who mentor and teach the youth during vacations.
In future,she hopes to produce her own raw materials and establish a school to train the youth in ice cream,soya milk and yogurt making.
Ayesha holds a certificate in Quality Assurance and has attended several training programmes.She believes that the yogurt market is big.