Temitope (Temi) Ajayi-Salami has brought a taste of Africa to Dunfermline city centre with her new African grocery store, AYT Foods Ltd. Originally from Nigeria, Temi moved over to settle in Dunfermline when her husband was doing his Masters degree in Edinburgh. Located at 24 Bridge Street, the store which opened at the start of December, aims to cater for the growing demand for African/Caribbean food products and cultural experiences in Dunfermline. The competition is very limited in Fife, with many people having to travel to Edinburgh or Glasgow for these types of products.
Temi explained, “Our mission is to offer a one stop shop for unique and diverse ranges of high-quality African products, while promoting cultural exchange and celebrating the rich traditions of Africa. We will also be selling online too.”
A client of Business Gateway Fife, Temi has received ongoing advice from business adviser, Karen Cassells, who was able to secure her a Start Up grant to support the purchase of an EPOS till for the store. Karen commented, “Temi has also received a grant from the Fife Council Town Centre Business Improvement team to make some internal property improvements and to buy signage and she has secured a Fife Investment Fund repayable grant to obtain fridges, freezers and equipment for the store. Temi has shown determination and has the experience to make this business a success.”
Whether thinking of starting a business or looking to grow or sustain an existing business, contact Business Gateway Fife on 01592 858333 for a variety of advice and support or visit www.businessgatewayfife.com