Yeepee! My natural drinks business is officially one year old.
Good day, Hive. It’s been a long while since I posted here. I took a long break, and so much has happened, but I won’t get into all that today.
I’m super excited to share my journey to one year of running a natural drinks business in the Nigerian economy. It hasn’t been easy, but I’m incredibly proud of myself because I’ve moved far from where I started. Looking back now makes me realise how much growth has happened. If my business were a baby, she would be taking her first steps, learning how to walk.
Before walking comes sitting, crawling, and standing. Now she’s teething and wobbling forward. Just like a child, my business though not “there” yet, has passed through many growth stages. And in this one year, I truly have a lot to say.
How It All Started
In January 2025, precisely on the 25th, the last Saturday of the month. I rolled out my first dribatch of drinksntering a new terrain and finding my audience was my first major challenge.
With God’s leading, I chose a gym and the local stadium as my starting points. Today, the stadium has become one of my major sales locations.
I remember strolling around, offering free samples in small bottles to anyone willing to taste. I also sent out samples to some gyms. I’m glad I did because it helped me gather honest feedback.
I started with just two products: Hibiscus drink (popularly known as Zobo) Ginger Xclusive Drink, which has now become my best-selling product.
Early Challenges
Pricing & Perception
My first major challenge was pricing. Zobo is a very common and often undervalued natural drink. However, mine had a completely new recipe, a real game changer (@temmylade and @chatsunny can testify). So when I sold a 250ml bottle for ₦500, it caused serious reactions. People were shocked because others sold 75cl bottles for as low as ₦100. Lol
For my ginger drink, people were curious and skeptical too because the recipe was entirely new to them, it felt like I was introducing something unfamiliar. There were complaints, but not as much as with the zobo.
It was discouraging at first, but I knew that if I wanted to thrive, I had to stand my ground. So I focused on marketing my unique selling points: my recipe, packaging, and health benefits.
Soon enough, people began to testify to the difference and effectiveness. That’s when recommendations started coming in. One moment that stayed with me was a man who is now one of my biggest customers.
One morning at the stadium, he asked, “Madam, are you the one selling that ginger drink?” I said yes. He replied, “Please give me four. I took one from a friend last week, and it worked wonders.” Since then, he’s been consistent.
Another memorable feedback came from a couple who said, “We bought zobo in Abuja for twice the price of yours, and the taste was nothing to write home about. Well done for keeping it real.” Those words and many others kept me going.
Growth So Far
I started with two products under the Xclusive Drinks & Natural Ventures, which is now registered with the CAC in January 2025. Before the end of the year, I expanded to seven products: Zobo Ginger Drink Tigernut Drink Ginger Shot (Xclusive) Xclusive Shito Peppered Sauce Xclusive Crunchy Chin Chin
My business is still small and growing, but I’m proud of the progress and resilience.
Lessons Learned (Takeaways)
This past year taught me valuable lessons: Understanding ingredient seasons: When I started, I had no idea about seasonal availability. Now I do, and I’m working on investing in and naturally preserving ingredients when they’re in season.
Finding better vendors: For bottles, stickers, fruits, and raw materials, pricing and quality matter.
Improved record-keeping and accountability: This helped me save, even if it was little.
Bulk buying: Towards the end of 2025, I was able to buy raw materials in bulk, something I couldn’t do at the beginning. (I’ll share in another post how unacceptability almost ran my new business aground.)
Projections for 2026
In 2026, I hope to secure a permanent shop space for daily sales. For now, I sell mostly through referrals, deliveries, and physical presence once a week at certain spots. Initially, I didn’t want a shop, but after much research and reflection, I realised that what I sell is driven by sight and presence. A strategic location will increase visibility and boost sales.
I also plan to invest in more equipment: A bigger pot set A dedicated gas setup A freezer A juice extractor A better blender
I intend to improve my packaging to by includingre product details as started this business with a loan, but today I can proudly say I am growing.
Beyond Business
Running this business introduced me to many relevant and influential people in other areas of my life. I also realised that I wasn’t just selling drinks, I was subtly doing sickle cell advocacy as well
That advocacy led to real impact. Today, I sit on the board of one of the vibrant sickle cell foundations in town and have participated in several radio programs on the subject.
**Gratitude & Reflection****
All in all, I’m happy with the progress and proud of myself. Despite undergoing a major life-changing surgery last year, I stayed consistent and didn’t give up. I also practiced something a mentor once taught me: I rewarded myself and my mum, who has been a major pillar of support with gifts 🎁.
That meant a lot to me. So here we go again, in God’s might, into 2026, hoping to grow, improve, expand, and become an employer of labor. So help me God.
I hope you found a tsomething to take awayom my journey. Thank you for stopping by my blog. Stay blessed. Cheers 🥂