The 'smocha' craze: How delicacy has gained popularity among Nairobians
Smocha or chapo smokie, is a common street food in Kenya's urban areas. Photo/Courtesy.
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By Edwin Kimani
In the streets of Nairobi, a culinary revolution has taken place with the rise of "Smocha”; a blend of chapati, smokie, kachumbari sauce, and a sprinkle of salt that has captured the taste buds of many.
But what is the drive behind this street food sensation? We sought to find out why the delicacy has taken Nairobi by storm; with city residents and college students forming the majority of the consumers.
Meet Karani Ireri, popularly known as BD Msanii. The entrepreneur has grown popular in his area of work thanks to the street food sensation.
BD Msanii, embarked on his culinary journey in 2015 in Parklands. It wasn't until the 2018-2019 period that Smocha gained popularity as a street delicacy.
"I was employed before but I had the entrepreneurial spirit so I quit and went to Parklands and started off with an investment of Ksh.15,000," Ireri said.
Even though he initially started off by selling hotdogs, he later on realized that people wanted something new.
“On a good day, I make between Ksh.1500-2000 in profits from selling the delicacy,” he added.
His customers, some loyal from as far back as 2015, attest to his cooking prowess that sets Smocha apart.
“The thing I admire the most is how devoted he is to his work. Hygiene is what attracted me the most and made be a loyal customer for years,” one of his customers noted.
On the other side of the city, we meet Ephantus Mbugua, another entrepreneur is making waves with his Smocha business in Kahawa Sukari area.
"What drove me to start this business was being jobless. I decided to create an opportunity for myself,” he said.
Both BD Msanii and Ephantus acknowledge the challenges they have faced, including the impact of ongoing protests, as they heavily rely on regular customers.
“The demos have affected smocha business owners and other street vendors. Even though it’s for a good cause, we are counting big losses,” they lamented.
As these culinary trendsetters continue to pave the way for Smocha businesses, they still have big dreams for their businesses.
“I would want to boost this business into something bigger and have a bigger restaurant so that I can accommodate more customers” says Karani.
In the streets of Nairobi, a culinary revolution has taken place with the rise of "Smocha”; a blend of chapati, smokie, kachumbari sauce, and a sprinkle of salt that has captured the taste buds of many.
But what is the drive behind this street food sensation? We sought to find out why the delicacy has taken Nairobi by storm; with city residents and college students forming the majority of the consumers.
Meet Karani Ireri, popularly known as BD Msanii. The entrepreneur has grown popular in his area of work thanks to the street food sensation.
BD Msanii, embarked on his culinary journey in 2015 in Parklands. It wasn't until the 2018-2019 period that Smocha gained popularity as a street delicacy.
"I was employed before but I had the entrepreneurial spirit so I quit and went to Parklands and started off with an investment of Ksh.15,000," Ireri said.
Even though he initially started off by selling hotdogs, he later on realized that people wanted something new.
“On a good day, I make between Ksh.1500-2000 in profits from selling the delicacy,” he added.
His customers, some loyal from as far back as 2015, attest to his cooking prowess that sets Smocha apart.
“The thing I admire the most is how devoted he is to his work. Hygiene is what attracted me the most and made be a loyal customer for years,” one of his customers noted.
On the other side of the city, we meet Ephantus Mbugua, another entrepreneur is making waves with his Smocha business in Kahawa Sukari area.
"What drove me to start this business was being jobless. I decided to create an opportunity for myself,” he said.
Both BD Msanii and Ephantus acknowledge the challenges they have faced, including the impact of ongoing protests, as they heavily rely on regular customers.
“The demos have affected smocha business owners and other street vendors. Even though it’s for a good cause, we are counting big losses,” they lamented.
As these culinary trendsetters continue to pave the way for Smocha businesses, they still have big dreams for their businesses.
“I would want to boost this business into something bigger and have a bigger restaurant so that I can accommodate more customers” says Karani.
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