The Chief Executive Officer of Crown Peak Holdings, Dr. Kobbina Tuyee Awuah, has revealed that his first attempt to bring the Pinkberry brand to Ghana was unsuccessful.
The entrepreneur behind the popular frozen yogurt chain said the idea was born during his time at Harvard Business School, as he explored business opportunities he could bring back to Africa.
Sharing his business journey on The Career Trail program on Joy Learning TV and Joy News, Dr. Awuah revealed that, although he had spent much of his life abroad, his long-term goal was always to return to Ghana.
“I used to come to Ghana maybe three times a year. Maintaining that root was very, very important,” he said.
In his final year at Harvard, he began actively searching for business ideas that could work on the continent.
“I wanted to be an entrepreneur, so I was trying to figure out what would work in Ghana and Africa,” he explained.
That moment came unexpectedly during a walk through Harvard Square in 2014, when he discovered Pinkberry.
“I remember very well, it was the summer of 2014. I was walking around Harvard Square with my brother and my family, and there was a Pinkberry store there. We went in and tried it,” he said.
The experience immediately sparked a business idea.
“I said, wow, this is actually very nice. I said this is something I could do in Ghana. Maybe this is one of the things I could bring home,” he recalled.
Driven by that interest, he decided to pursue the opportunity directly.
“I went online, I researched who owned Pinkberry, and I sent them an email. I told them I was interested in bringing the brand to Ghana,” he shared.
However, the response was discouraging.
“They asked me why I was interested. I said I wanted to bring it to Ghana. And I’m sure whoever was reading the email didn’t even know where Ghana was. And they said they were not really interested in Africa,” he revealed.
That response stalled the idea at the time.
“So I said okay, I’ll put it on the back burner and try to figure out what to do next,” he stated.
At that point, he graduated without a job or a business in place and began actively searching for opportunities.
“I remember I had just graduated. I didn’t have a job, I didn’t have a business either. So I started sending emails to people who had businesses on the continent,” he explained.
Through one of those connections, he secured an opportunity with Millicom, which led to a posting in Tanzania.
“There was a lady who worked with a company that owned Millicom. They met me and said okay, we’ll give you a chance. So they posted me in Tanzania,” he recounted.
“I didn’t want to come to Ghana right away. Ghana was my comfort zone. I wanted to learn from another African country,” he added.
While in Tanzania, he worked in the telecommunications sector and eventually rose to become CEO of a small subsidiary under the group.
“I was made CEO of a small telecom company under Tigo. I did that for two years, and it was a great experience,” he disclosed.
Dr. Awuah continued that the experience gave him both financial strength and broader exposure.
“It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made,” he highlighted.
After two years, he revisited the Pinkberry opportunity, this time with stronger experience and resources.
“I went back to them and said, ‘You remember the conversation we had two years ago? I’m back,’” he mentioned.
This time, he was better positioned, with professional experience, financial backing, and support from former classmates who had entered corporate careers.
He eventually secured the franchise and launched Pinkberry in Ghana in 2017, marking the brand’s entry into Africa.
Dr. Awuah said that moment marked the real beginning of his entrepreneurial journey, which has since grown into multiple successful ventures.
“I’ve never looked back,” he stressed.
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