Ukwa, native to Igboland, has since gone multi-ethnic and is now seen as one of Nigeria’s traditional delicacies. Also known as Africa’s breadfruit pottage, Ukwa serves as a fitness diet. Perhaps, that’s why it has become my favorite because I am very finicky about my weight agenda. Furthermore, ukwa comes with a naturally delicious flavor.
As I lay on the couch last Saturday afternoon thinking of what to eat and how to have a delightful weekend, I had the gut feeling I would find something new and delectable online. It didn’t take long before I narrowed my choices down to three options and I opted for the last one, ukwa. Perhaps, you may wonder why I chose Ukwa. I never anticipated that it could be sold online and I was anxious to know what form the packaging would take. The moment I sighted it on their website, my craving heightened. I straightaway dialed their number.
To say that ukwa has been completely transformed is putting it mildly. On the Phronesis website, “Join the ukwa movement” and a tactical display of the ukwa variants will catch your fancy. This piqued my curiosity, about how a local delicacy has transformed into a processed and well-packaged brand. I didn’t know when I placed a call to the Phronesis Kitchen, with my notepad and pen handy. The beautiful voice at the other end jolted me from my thoughts – It was a soothing voice. After the initial pleasantries, and knowing what I wanted, I ordered ukwa snacks, which go for ₦2,500, and in less than an hour, the package was delivered I later learned that deliveries are nationwide.
Each package comes with its recipe and it’s so easy that it didn’t take long before I fixed the snack. The aroma that filled the air when I was toasting the snacks woke up my younger sister, who was having a siesta. To make a perfect meal, I added coconut and the dish was ready. As the saying goes, it takes two to tango. The snacks finished as soon as they landed on the table. We tried to outwit each other to a tasty, crunchy experience.
I didn’t know ukwa could be enjoyed as a snack and this was what triggered my interest because I only knew ukwa to be porridge-like. Phronesis Foods has done an excellent job in modernizing ukwa. Now, there are varieties: Roasted ukwa snacks, dried ukwa, ukwa poundo, and ukwa flour.
Chichi Eriobu, CEO of the company, like all visionaries, saw a gap in the market for upgrading this traditional meal and making it more accessible. “Ukwa is steadily becoming a ‘raw material’ used to produce other finished products. There are a minimum of 21 more creative ways the breadfruit can be transformed,’’ she said, adding: “Ukwa protein bar and coated ukwa snacks are in the innovation pipeline.”
The ukwa variants can be ordered online and deliveries are prompt. Eriobu said that her brands have met all statutory requirements. Ukwa is today being packaged and exported to customers worldwide, through the innovativeness of Phronesis. “Our goal is to see Ukwa on menus all over the world, just like Chinese food.’’
Calista Njoku is a realtor and fashion enthusiast. She lives in 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.
