Meet A Successful Entrepreneur Who Sells Chapatis Online

Seizing opportunity is what makes most business succeed. Most entrepreneurs are able to notice market gaps are close in them leaving us wondering why we never notice the opportunities in the first place.
Muthuu Kagio is the proprietor of Wellspring Foods, an online store which specialises in chapatti making and delivery to various parts of the city.
He spoke to Wanja karuga and below is an excerpt of that interview.
When did Muthuu had a breakthrough in this line of business?
In 2001 Muthuu noticed that the majority of working class people were getting increasingly busy and hardly had the time to prepare the chapattis in their homes.
“That is when I realized that I could start a business to cater for this need. Most people were looking for a place they could buy affordable ‘clean made’ chapattis.
What was Muthuu’s next step of action?

Muthuu went in search of equipment that would help him actualize his dream. He had seen many machines on the net, but could not import them because it did not make economic sense. He decided to have one made by a local artisan.
What kind of a machine was he looking for?
I was looking for a machine that would allow the production of at least 300 chapatis in an hour. I knew this was possible from what I had gathered from the net. But the major problem was that it had not been done before, so the trial and error was inevitable.
What challenges did he face?
After getting the machine, things did not turn out as expected. The machine did not cut the dough in the shape of a chapatti bit in the shape of a naan or roti.
What did Muthuu do to make it work for him?
He started selling Chapati wraps which would make up for the lost shape. “We would produce a roti and then stuff beef, chicken or eggs to make a sandwich.
What were the results?
It created a logistic problem because the wraps were consumed around lunch time which heavy human traffic built up around lunch time when the majority of orders were made.
What direction did Muthuu take?
After a few months Muthuu had made enough money to purchase a new cutting and shaping machine which was made in locally in Rongai. He worked with the artisan to come up with a suitable machine.
How is the business now?
In an hour Muthuu makes 500 chapatis which he supplies to offices in CBD, Westalnds, Upperhill and Juja.
How do customers order for his chapattis?
Customers send a message via the well springs website, giving their location and the time delivery is expected.
What is his secret to success?
“The secret to success is loving what you do and having a service mentality instead of expecting to be served.
What are his future plans?
Muthuu plans to stock his chapattis at various local supermarket chains.