How a Nigerian Couple Turned Church Cooking Into a £7M West African Food Empire in the UK 🇬🇧

Published: September 5, 2025 

When Michael and Abi Olaleye first carried trays of jollof rice and fried plantain into their South London church hall in the late 1990s, they could never have imagined that those Sunday servings would one day grow into a £7 million-a-year business empire.

Today, their creation — Tasty African Food — is more than just a restaurant brand. With 27 outlets across London and Kent, a thriving line of ready meals in Sainsbury’s, and a factory employing 250 staff in Thamesmead, the Olaleyes have done what many thought impossible: transform a community kitchen into one of the UK’s largest African food chains.

And they’re just getting started.

From Woolwich Café to National Recognition

In 1999, Michael left behind a career in IT while Abi walked away from teaching. Armed with little more than family recipes and the encouragement of their church congregation, the couple opened their first small restaurant in Woolwich, South East London.

The food — authentic, unapologetically Nigerian, and served with warmth — quickly won over both Africans missing home flavors and Londoners curious about West African cuisine.

By 2004, Tasty African Food expanded beyond Woolwich. What set them apart was vision. While most saw African restaurants as community spaces, Michael and Abi saw the McDonald’s model — scalable, consistent, and global.

The £7M Success Story

Fast-forward to 2025, and Tasty African Food generates £7M annually, with 12 of its 27 outlets operated as franchises. The company not only dominates the African dining scene in the UK but also integrates deeply into British mainstream food culture.

• Ready Meals in Sainsbury’s: Bringing Nigerian classics like egusi soup and suya chicken to supermarket aisles.

• Wedding & Event Catering: Serving diaspora celebrations with large-scale authentic cooking.

• Mobile App: A tech-driven ordering system ensuring convenience for modern customers.

From a single Woolwich café to a network run from their Thamesmead factory, the Olaleyes have kept the business self-funded — choosing independence over outside investment to maintain control over quality.

Why This Matters: Representation in Global Food Culture

The success of Tasty African Food is not just about revenue. It’s about representation. For decades, Nigerian and broader African cuisine struggled to break into mainstream visibility. While Asian and Caribbean restaurants found their footing in the UK, West African food was often relegated to small, family-run businesses with limited reach.

Michael and Abi’s achievement signals a turning point: African cuisine is not only viable but also scalable and profitable on a multi-million-pound level.

It’s proof that cultural heritage, when packaged with vision and discipline, can compete on the global stage.

Lessons for Entrepreneurs

1. Start Small, Dream Big: Their journey began with one church kitchen.

2. Community is Currency: Tapping into a trusted base gave them their first wave of loyal customers.

3. Scale With Systems: From factory production to franchise models, success requires structure.

4. Stay True to Flavor: Authenticity was never sacrificed for mass appeal.

For Nigerians at home and abroad, the Olaleyes’ story is both a business blueprint and a cultural milestone.

What This Means for Nigerian Entrepreneurs

Their journey is a reminder that Nigerian talent is global currency. Whether in food, fashion, music, or tech, our stories are shaping industries far beyond our borders. Platforms like 9jafinds exist to amplify these stories — putting Nigerian culture, commerce, and creativity on the world stage.

At 9jafinds, we don’t just report culture — we curate it, celebrate it, and build community around it. That’s why we are rapidly positioning ourselves among the Top 10 Media Publishing Brands globally, alongside The Shade Room, Complex, and E! News.

Shop the Nigerian Lifestyle

Want to bring a taste of Nigerian excellence into your home? Explore our curated collection at 9jafinds.com/shopwhere you’ll find:

• Kitchenware & Dining Essentials – perfect for hosting your own “Tasty African Food” nights.

• Nigerian Fashion & Accessories – celebrate your heritage in style.

• Afrobeats & Lifestyle Picks – because culture is not just consumed, it’s lived.

Final Word

Michael and Abi Olaleye’s story is more than a food business triumph. It’s the manifestation of Nigerian resilience, creativity, and vision — the same values that drive 9jafinds to be the No.1 hub for Nigerian culture, commerce, and community worldwide.

Their journey shows us that the future of African culture is not local — it’s global.

What do you think about the rise of Tasty African Food? Could Nigerian brands become the next McDonald’s or KFC? Share your thoughts in the comments below.