I've had this idea for some time and I decided to discuss it with a friend today.

We Nigerians in the diaspora love to think of home -- or have something to remind us of home. What's better than food to remind us of home?

I've looked at the system here in the USA and I noticed there's 'instant food' everywhere. While freshness is a problem -- nothing is ever fresh here -- I still think I'd prefer 'un-fresh' Nigerian food to American food.

If someone in Nigeria started a business to say, prepare instant peppersoup, it'd be super. Just imgaine buying it, adding water and heating it. A la peanut butter sandwiches¹, you have steaming peppersoup, complete with maybe instant meat and some other condiments.

I've eaten instant rice, spaghetti and noodles here -- why don't we have our own Nigerian instant food. Whoever starts up such a business is going to be rich -- mark my words.

1. Apologies to the Amazing Mumford of Sesame Street

However, we already have instant Eba (aka garri, just add hot water and stir with a hammer), instand 'pounded yam' (yam powder that you can prepare like eba), instant amala (dried fermented yam pounder. just add water!).

As for, instant peppersoup, you know, the taste of soup/stew depends on the way it's prepared. Instant stew is not likely to taste very Nigerian simply because it's prepared differently. However, Nigerians might grow to love the taste.

So the idea is worth researching. But the market is a dispersed one: Nigerians in the US, UK, and everywhere! Can such a market be reached cost-effectively? Is the product even possible? For a food specialist, it's worth looking into.

Except for hard-core gourmets, I suppose most Nigerians would welcome the idea [I do welcome it but I'm not sure I can speak for others] simply because American food isn't fresh either.

I think there's market potential in it -- since you don't live outside Nigeria, you might not know the alacrity with which most Nigerians would jump at anything that remotely resembles Nigerin food.

One food that doesn't need to be made instant is garri. 'Ijebu' garri is well dried and will go down well.

You need to come here Seun. You can get everything instant if you don't want to cook -- pizza, spaghetti, etc. Sadly, Americans seem to love cooking with cheese, milk and sugar.

That's guys talk bo. I don't dig that instant nigeria food, I cook mine from scratch,
with all ingredients that are like home, i don't miss home food too much. i make anything, pepper soup (check out Tripe, Zahy).
I think if you got the chance, you can still make and eat homelike food. other students talk about my food everywhere, and want to come taste but i don't really have the chance. But during gathering, I bring home food as my potluck, and they go crazy for it, so if it's instant, i don't think it will taste better.
Every sunday i make my stew with atarodo and fresh live fish i get from china store. Yes live fish!

Zahy, get a nig chick and forget instant kinikan kinikan   smile.

Omoge, you seem to be taking a female chauvinistic view here.

We're only boys in my family and my mom stopped cooking a while ago because we did the cooking. I stay in Beckley, WV and there's no African Shop here -- that was why the crazy thought of 'Instant Food' popped up in my mind.

I've gone crazy looking for anything remotely African -- maybe you could send me some of your cooking [frozen of course]?

There you go. Freezing. People can prepare Nigerian stew in large quantities and just freeze it. How about that?

That's another concept. I'm glad we're doing some brainstorming. The question is, how many people are brave enough to venture into such business?

there is great potential with the brand nigeria and not just on food. indeed anybody that makes a first and good move on the food aspect will become super money rich.

How do you ship frozen food within the US?

@seun

Refrigerated Trucks and also Dry Ice

Zahymaka:

I stay in Beckley, WV and there's no African Shop here --

You might find some ingredients in a Mexican store if you have one

Zahy

Is Beckley close to Martinsburg or Charlestown or Charleston? Check your yellow pages many African stores in Neighboring states might be able to mail food to you. Are you closer to PA or MD or OH?

The frozen stew idea is amazing.

U know like in buckets, with meat, and some with fish, and some with different stuffs. hahahaha, all u have to do is microwave the stew. Or even vegetable.

Ohh the world of men. They want everything already-made.

Zah, u should try the chinese store, they have everything we eat in there. INCLUDING EWEDU (i don't think that has an english name). lol

hot-angel, wha makes you think I can't cook my own food? Afterall I already do so without a stove. The nearest African shop here is in Charleston.

I don't have a car, and I don't like disturbing people. I'll try the mailing one Old Glory suggested.

Before you attack me hot-angel, I'm getting a stove.

We're talking about instant food here. Does anyone have any other ideas, since the African shops we have here are so few?

Im glad u know i was gonna attack u. Get a damn stove or a lil cooker.

ohh and btw, i think already made nigerian foods won't taste like the freshly made ones. U know that home cooked aroma. hmmmm,

Seun:

There you go. Freezing. People can prepare Nigerian stew in large quantities and just freeze it. How about that?

That doesn't really work for what I would do, I wouldn't be able to reheat frozen peper soup at school but if it was dehyrdated like most of the asian noodle packs you find I could :-)

it would be a great idea but i can't say how productive it would be.

Eastcoast:

it would be a great idea but i can't say how productive it would be.

Very very productive. When you don't feel like cooking, you just add water and heat it.

hot-angel:

The frozen stew idea is amazing.

U know like in buckets, with meat, and some with fish, and some with different stuffs. hahahaha, all u have to do is microwave the stew. Or even vegetable.

Ohh the world of men. They want everything already-made.

Zah, u should try the chinese store, they have everything we eat in there. INCLUDING EWEDU (i don't think that has an english name). lol

@ hotangel,
yeah gurl ewedu has an english name, one day me and my mother went to this asian amrket and we discovered (it is called HOSRADISH LEAVES) BUT IT season oh.

i think that most people in the us would be willing to eat stuff like that,
especially the younger generation----they already live off of asian noodles, why not throw in other country's food,
sounds good

vickybabe:

@ hotangel,
yeah girl ewedu has an english name, one day me and my mother went to this asian amrket and we discovered (it is called HOSRADISH LEAVES) BUT IT season oh.

Na wa ooo.

Hello, a lovely lady called Uzoamaka just gave me a site from which I can order Nigerian food online. The good thing is that most of it is instant -- as in, dried. It's in New York -- yipee! Here's the link:

http://www.exceedfoods.com/market/

Thats a very bright idea! I would totally patrionize you if you went ahead and made

instant Nigerian food. I love Nigerian food but i live in freaking wisconsin so i am

lucky if i find black people food, not to talk about Nigerian food!

come to chicago, old world food broadway/foster