GTCO Festival Entrepreneurs, consumers, others relive experience

It was fun, celebration, business and glitz as usual when GTCO held its annual Food/Drinks Christmas Holiday Festival.

The festival is powered annually by Guaranty Trust Bank.

 While the entrepreneurs with stalls at the festival praise the organisers for the unparalleled visibility given to their business, attendees at the event commended them for the opportunity they were given to network and shop from a variety of food products, while holiday makers thank them for creating a free avenue for fun and to unwind.

The 2-day events, 20th-21st of December, had people from different walks of life trooped in to GTCO Centre at Landmark Event Centre to catch fun, unwind, network, expand their business frontiers, and increase their sales at what is gradually becoming the biggest food and drinks festival in Africa.

According to the organisers, this holiday edition, the first of its kind, was designed to celebrate the richness of African cuisine while creating memorable holiday moments for families and unlocking new revenue opportunities for food – based small and Medium Enterprises (SME).

Speaking at a press conference in Lagos, GTCO Plc emphasised that the holiday edition marked a deliberate shift toward a more festive, family-focused experience. Unlike the previous editions, this year’s edition featured master classes, showcased immersive holiday attractions, an expanded marketplace and entertainment designed for visitors of all ages.

An excited Nnamdi Osundu, who is based in the United Kingdom, said he had not experienced anything this exciting since he had been coming back for Christmas. The visitor whom the reporter encountered at the ‘Boli Stall’ while he was ordering roasted yams/boli garnished with [Ugba] oil bean salad said he was having the best time of his life.

“I came with my group of friends, the majority on holiday from London and America, and we are all having fun. I cannot remember the last time I had this kind of local food. I pray I meet this kind of festival when I come back for Christmas next year.”

For the gaily dressed Pamela and her friends, it was the perfect holiday festival. “I have not been to Nigeria for three years now. When my sister, who lives in Ikoyi, suggested we come here, initially I was skeptical but thank God we came.

“I love food and exotic drinks. I bought a pure sugar cane drink spiced up with ginger. I ate abacha garnished with different things, and I ate barbecued goat meat. In fact, I commend the organisers.”

At the children’s section, it was shrills of excitement and joy. A 9- year- old boy, Chikelu, said he was having so much fun he wished his mum would allow him and his siblings to sleepover. His five- year-old sister, Adaze, said she was going to get her dad to agree to a sleepover at the festival.

Alhaja Islamia Buharia, who came with three of her children, said they had been around for about five hours, but the children were having so much fun that they refused to leave.

For the 213 vendors that graced the occasion, it was stories of how they made sales, achieved visibility they could not have achieved and how the event has given them the opportunity to expand their business.

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 Mrs Lola Shobowale of Sweet Cravings said that since she started attending GTCO Food and Drink Festival, her business has gained huge visibility that has translated to more money.

“Thousands of people attended this event, they saw my products, so I recorded more sales and got more orders online even after the event,” said the Lady whose main outlet is at 17B Adebayo Doherty, Rd. 14 Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.

Speaking on this particular holiday event, she said the timing was apt for holiday makers who have left their abode to visit Nigeria for Christmas and New Year celebrations.

“I am all thanks to the organisers of this festival because they have made my business to grow,” said an excited Fayokeni Ayo of Bread Box located at 13. Aderi Surulere.

“This is not our first time attending, and the success of the previous years prompted us to come back. It has given us the opportunity to relate face-to-face with our customers. Usually majority of our customers order online.”

For Mrs Ebere Stephen, who sells roasted boli, yams, corn, ube, peanuts and other street foods, “If not for GTCO, I would not have been able to train my four boys in school.

“I started attending the GTCO food and drink festival since its debut eight years ago. This event has given prominence to my business. You needed to see me before I started attending this event. These events changed my life for the better because the huge amount of money I recorded and people who met me here and traced me later to my permanent outlet.”

The woman whose outlet is at Adeyemu Alakija, close to GTCO Head office, said she was the family’s breadwinner and provides for her entire family from whatever she makes from her business of street food.

However,  YenGric- Fresh Farm Ltd, which has attended the event twice, expressed reservations about some things at the event. Emmanuella, the young lady at the stall, said they had not recorded many sales as people just come, make enquiries and promised to come back.

The lady who said they came all the way from Jos to attend the event said the company spent over N200,000 on transport to be in Lagos, and said they were still hoping for the best.

One of their products, ‘Atili Olive’ 500ml, was selling for N17,000, while tomato paste bottled in 500ml was selling for N10,000, and tatashi of the same quantity was also selling for that amount. On whether the lack of customers was due to the price of their products, she explained that their products, all made in Jos, were organic.

Generally, prices were pocket-friendly as the organisers were monitoring them. For instance, at ‘O1 Shawarma’, the price of soft drinks like Fanta and Coke was N500. At the ‘Amala Skye’,  a wrap of amala sold for N500 while a piece of beef was N1,000.  At ‘Sweet Cravings’ that boasts of home-made pastries, meat pies sold for N2,000 each.

The festival, which had vendors trading in free stalls, was a celebration of Nigerian cuisine, with a diverse range of vendors offering traditional dishes and innovative fusion cuisine. From Jollof rice to plantain chips, the festival had something for every palate.

The vibrant atmosphere was electric with attendees enjoying good food, drinks, and company. The smell of sizzling meat and spices filled the air, and the sound of laughter and chatter added to the festive atmosphere.

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