Traditional to Northern Nigeria, particularly the Fulani, this highly nutritious food is spreading country-wide, driven by Habib Fura and Yoghurt drinks.
By Habib Zakari
When you mention fura in Southern Nigeria, the first image is that of a young girl of the Fulani stock hawking food drink. This alone deters some potential buyers. For Habib Fura and Yoghurt, the picture is different; indeed, very much so. From its look and feel, what you see is farm fresh, well-packaged fura drink – hygienic, pleasing to the eye, and attractive enough to give it a try.
My first visit to Habib Yoghurt was satisfying. The moment I entered its outlet at Sokoto Express Way, opposite Zaria Government Reserve Area, the strides the company is making in packaging its offering to global standards was more evident. Its signature fura da yoghurt drink was established 12 years ago in Zaria, Kaduna State. The brand has since continued to grow, spreading from Northern Nigeria to other parts of the country due to its popular demand. Its Lagos depot, along Capital Road, Agege, serves the entire South West markets.
In Zaria, when people are desirous of fura, they head to Habib Yoghurt for a delicious experience. Habib’s fura goes with yoghurt, which is made from steamed, coarsely ground, moulded millet. Trying them together gives the savoury natural tasty feel. Habib’s Yoghurt is popular and highly sought after because of its good blend and taste. Another differentiating factor is that Habib’s Fura da Yoghurt doubles as a high powered nutritive drink and power meal.
While at the outlet, I saw two young adults, perhaps, they were love birds, savouring the taste of their fura and yoghurt. There are dashes of treats that went into the mix of their order. You would be thankful to have tried their course too. I saw that they flavoured their order with roasted groundnut, fried and kwakumeti (sugared coconut flakes). The couple also ordered cakes to munch along with their fura and yoghurt. Because I sat close to them, I decided to probe a little.
“Good afternoon, how does your fura, yoghurt, roasted groundnut and coconut taste like? I asked. “It is just a taste of bliss. You should just try it,” responded the young man. I cracked a joke that got the lady laughing as her friend attempts to feed her.
At prices ranging between ₦700 to ₦1,000, Habib Yoghurt and Fura is an excellent meal that fills you and also provides a bunch of nutrients to nourish your body. You may wish to add groundnut or coconut flakes.
Beyond the nourishing meal is that the business is an excellent Nigerian example of sound entrepreneurship, taking local, global.
Habib Abodunrin Zakari, author and lecturer, contributed this article from Abuja.
Ayodelé is a Lagos-based journalist and the Content and Editorial Coordinator at Meiza. All around the megacity, I am steering diverse lifestyle magazine audiences with ingenious hacks and insights that spur fast, informed decisions in their busy lives.
