Nairobi eatery suspends selling chips over high cost of potatoes, cooking oil

Popular Nairobi food joint Chepchikoni Eateries has announced the suspension of chips from its menu, citing the increased cost of cooking oil and potato prices.

The enterprise which has three joints is run by Hodiah Chepchirchir, a 28-year-old commerce graduate who has stated that she started it as a hobby.

Through an Instagram post shared on Tuesday, the eatery said offering the dish was only driving them into losses despite keeping production costs low.

“To our dear esteemed customers, I am making this official announcement to inform you that due to inflation, specifically the high cost of cooking oil and potatoes, we will no longer be able to sell chips at our eateries,” read the post.

“The inflation has truly affected us and upon careful and thorough analysis we have realised the chips section is running at a loss in our business and we cannot continue to sell it.”

The eatery added: “For us to make this decision we have tried everything possible to minimize the production cost and we have hit rock bottom with this.”

The joint’s announcement comes two weeks after popular street food vendor Bevalyne Kwamboka announced the suspension of her services.

The 23-year-old, who is also a university graduate, had become famous for her ‘chips mwitu’ hustle on Twitter.

Kwamboka said that the spike in the prices of potatoes and cooking oil had pushed her to shelve her french fries venture.

“To all Chipo mwitu supporters, due to increase in waru n cooking oil prices we have officially 'suspended' selling Chipo until further notice,” wrote Kwamboka on March 15.

“Waru was 1200 now 3200, oil was 1200 now 2350 (10l), profit ziko almost zero.”