“Cameroonians Have Potentials That Needs To Be Encouraged”

Accueil / PME / Projection / “Cameroonians Have Potentials That Needs To Be Encouraged”

“Cameroonians Have Potentials That Needs To Be Encouraged”

22 oct. 2021 15:12

Xavier Tchouaffe, CEO KAT.

What motivated you in the production of biscuit with local ingredients?

I lived in Belgium and saw how people left their professional work to do business and it gives them pleasure since they don’t focus only about the money but the pleasure they derive from doing what they are doing. I’m a logistician by profession and when I returned to Cameroon I decided to start my own business. I first worked with companies that processed flour and local ingredients and to add value to our local ingredients, and as well wipe out the notion that only cookies from abroad are of good quality, I made the decision to dare the sector since I knew virtually every production technique.

Many are of the notion that imported biscuits are better than homemade. What’s your take on that?

That was then, not now. I can confidently say that Cameroonians have evolved tremendously as far as the agro industry and the cosmetics sectors are concerned. I will also not be wrong to say some made in Cameroon products for the past five years can confidently compete with same imported products under the same condition. We have potentials but the potentials needs to be encouraged and harnessed especially by the government in order to promote homemade products. The government has been doing much to that effect but it is not enough. I think some of our products have quality and respect production norms than many other imported products. We don’t use additive for example and most foreign products have additive which is not good for health. Most of our products are made with natural ingredients and we produce 90 per cent natural products compared to imported ones that are packed with chemicals especially in the cosmetic sector. If all the sectors are well organised ...