Wisdom Obeng Nyarko (WON), the manager of the renowned all-male catering and logistics company Menscook, has shared the story behind the brand’s beginnings during an appearance on The Career Trail on Joy Learning TV and Joy News.
Speaking to host Irene Adubea Aning, he revealed that Menscook began with only seven boys, including himself and the CEO.
According to WON, the company was initially conceived in 2017 by founder Mr. Patrick Davoro, who was his schoolmate.
“In 2018, the founder had already started the business, but it wasn’t fully established yet,” he said. “That same year, he reached out to me, saying he couldn’t do it alone and invited me to join. I agreed.”
WON disclosed that he had received a job offer from a more established company at the time but chose to join Menscook because he wanted to be part of a business where he could contribute meaningfully.
“Even though I had an offer from a more established company, I turned it down and accepted Menscook’s offer instead because I wanted to be part of a company where I could be involved in decision-making,” he explained.
Following his decision to join, the team officially registered the business in 2019, completing all the necessary administrative steps to operate legally.
“When we officially started, we were just seven people,” he recalled. “Though the team was small, what kept us going was our passion. We all loved what we did and were committed to making the business succeed.”
Mr. Nyarko also shared why Menscook chose to be an all-male brand. He said the aim was to challenge the stereotype that the kitchen is a woman’s space and to inspire more men to take part in culinary activities.
“We naturally started with men, and over time, we realized this gave us a unique position in a female-dominated market,” he said. “We wanted to show grooms that they can also cook for their wives and contribute in the kitchen. There’s nothing wrong with men cooking.”
However, the journey hasn’t been without challenges. Financing, especially in the early stages, was a major hurdle, with banks unwilling to offer support.
“Financing was a big challenge. We started without loans or venture capital because banks were not ready to back us,” he noted.
The COVID-19 pandemic also posed a significant threat to their operations. Since most of their income came from event catering, the 2020 lockdowns severely impacted their business.
“One of the major challenges that nearly brought us down was COVID-19. We had just started in 2019, and then the pandemic hit in 2020, stopping most of our events,” he said.
Despite these setbacks, the team adapted and re-strategized. Support from the Ghana Enterprises Agency was instrumental in helping them survive the pandemic’s impact.
“Post-COVID, the support we got from the Ghana Enterprises Agency helped us a lot to stay afloat,” he acknowledged.
Today, Menscook has grown significantly from its humble beginnings. The original seven have expanded into a larger team, and the company has received several prestigious awards, including the Best Caterer award from the Ghana Event Vendors Association (2019, 2021), the Pulse Food Influencer Award (twice), and the Women’s Choice Award.
“Our growth has been steady. Now we are a number. When I cast my mind back to how it started and where we are today, I just smile,” Mr. Nyarko concluded.
ALSO READ: