More than 70 young NESCAFÉ vendors have benefited from the 2026 edition of the My Own Business (MYOWBU) workshop organised by Nestlé Cameroun through its out-of-home business arm, Nestlé Professional.
Held under the theme, “Win More Every Day”, this year’s workshop marked a significant shift in approach, as participants were hosted at Nestlé’s production factory in Bonaberi, Douala.
For years, the company has organised similar activities in public venues across the country. However, in a deliberate move to deepen participants’ understanding of the brand and its standards, Nestlé decided this time to bring vendors and beneficiaries into its factory environment. The visit enabled them to experience the production process first-hand and engage directly with Nestlé experts in interactive question-and-answer sessions.
Virgil Fendzi, Nestlé Professional Manager for the Tropical Cluster, underscored the importance of the out-of-home segment in today’s fast-paced society.
“We spend a significant portion of our time away from home — at work or engaged in our daily activities. It is not always possible to return home to eat, yet we still need to nourish ourselves wherever we are,” he said. “That is precisely the role of Nestlé Professional — the Nestlé department responsible for serving consumers outside the home.”
According to Fendzi, the NESCAFÉ street vending model remains one of the most accessible entry points into entrepreneurship for young people.
“Anyone can begin selling Nescafé or other Nestlé beverages with very little capital. All that is required is to approach one of our kitchen operator partners and express the desire to start selling,” he explained. “After one week of training in quality, hygiene and basic business management, and a background check, the individual can begin operations.”
He stressed that the structure of the business ensures shared prosperity. “The business model is designed so that everyone in the value chain benefits — the distributor, the kitchen operator partner and the vendor each earn a sustainable margin.”
Highlighting growth prospects, Fendzi revealed ambitious targets for 2026. “We are targeting 25 percent growth in the first quarter of 2026,” he said. “Our ambition is to expand from around one hundred vendors today to 200 nationwide.”
To support this expansion, Nestlé plans to invest approximately 70 million CFA francs in new-generation commercial carts. “The new pushcarts are made of fibre. They are lighter, more durable and more environmentally friendly than the previous metal models,” he added.
The workshop also focused on performance recognition and capacity building. Awards were presented to the top three NESCAFÉ beverage sellers, the best kitchen operator partner and long-serving vendors with over a decade of activity. Training sessions covered brand knowledge, hygiene and food safety standards, compliance requirements, and strategies for improving profitability in an inflationary context.
“In the current economic climate, we wanted to re-energise and motivate our partners,” Fendzi noted. “We even discussed practical solutions, such as adjusting product dosages so that customers with FCFA150 or 200 can still afford a cup suited to their budget, without reducing the vendor’s profit margin.”
For long-serving vendor Ndangue Christelle Esso, the initiative represents far more than commercial success. “I cannot say that the benefits are purely financial. On the contrary, this activity offers immense human value,” she said, explaining that she has mentored over 200 young people in 16 years. She said some of those she has trained have “continued their education, others have married, and several have gone on to become Nescafé kitchen promoters themselves”.
Djawara Souleymane Temin, a Guinean national who began as a vendor in 2020 and now manages two kitchens in Douala, described the programme as life-changing. “I began as an ordinary vendor, and today I am a kitchen operator. This proves that anyone can improve and reach a higher level,” he said, adding that he now oversees nearly 30 vendors and records an estimated monthly turnover of about FCFA 500,000.
Launched in 2015, the MYOWBU programme currently operates 84 commercial carts and 10 active kitchens across Cameroon. With renewed investment and an expanded vision for 2026, Nestlé Cameroun continues to position NESCAFÉ as a practical pathway to youth empowerment and sustainable livelihoods nationwide.
