When it comes to culinary business, one man in Ng’ombe township in Lusaka has turned making and selling of goat kebabs, popularly known as michopo, into his cash cow.
Joseph Mbewe started his goat meat business in 2022 as a side hustle to sustain his family, and now claims to make about K20,000 per month.
He serves his michopo with plantain, potatoes, or chapatti, to mostly people patronising the many night spots. Mr Mbewe often starts working around 18:00 hours.
Like many entrepreneurs, Mr Mbewe started his business purely out of necessity – he wanted to supplement his family income.
“I started my business in August 2022 as a side hustle not knowing if it would be lucrative enough to sustain my family; this is because my salary alone was not enough. I took to selling goat meat as a full-time job in March 2023. Mr Mbewe prefers rearing his own goats to buying. He now has a sizeable herd, which also means he can improve his profit margins.
“Buying goats every day was leaning more towards hand-tomouth, which is the situation I had been trying to leave with my job as a cashier,” Mr Mbewe said.
He said the business has grown, allowing him to support his family.
“I never thought selling goat meat could sustain my family, but here we are today, and it’s been a blessing,” he said.
His bold step towards financial stability through the goat meat business has created job opportunities for local residents, from general workers to delivery bikers. But he has still had to deal with many challenges on his road to success.
“The rising transportation costs and the impact of load shedding on meat preservation forces us to work harder so as to not face any losses,” he said.
Despite the obstacles, he remains determined to grow his business further, continuing to serve his customers and creating jobs to grow the economy.
-Zambia Daily Mail
