Daniella Jasper-Okumagba
Entrepreneur Spotlight Feature (May)
The BRDGE
thebrdge.com

My Journey
My entrepreneurial journey began while I was living alone and working in the corporate sector, feeling a strong pull towards starting my own venture for an additional income stream. This led me to discuss ideas with my dad, sparking an interest in why affordable Nigerian food was scarce. My research and conversations with vendors about high food prices inspired the creation of The BRDGE. Fundamentally, it was my craving for the authentic Nigerian meals of my childhood—similar to what my mom used to make—that motivated me to start The BRDGE, aiming to offer those flavors at an accessible price.

In the early stages, one of the biggest challenges was establishing a strong foundation for the company. It was difficult to identify who would be the right people to work with. Initially, I was quite hasty, often paying for services without fully assessing their value. This approach led to significant financial expenditure early on, but it was a crucial learning experience that helped me determine the right partners and ultimately contributed to building a solid foundation for The BRDGE.

Currently, we’re focusing on increasing brand awareness and attracting more people to our platform, which remains a challenge, but we’re making progress. Among our triumphs, when people understand our mission, they become very motivated and eager to join us. We’ve had successes in competitions, winning several and being finalists in others. We’re planning to launch taste testing events this summer and have already started securing catering contracts for weddings and large events like proms, showing the strength of our foundation.

Additionally, we’re excited about launching a meal kit program soon. This journey has been a continuous learning experience about entrepreneurship and the importance of being open to advice and suggestions. This receptiveness to improvement and growth is what I believe will prepare us well for the future.

Our Business & Services
The BRDGE’s primary highlight is its innovative approach to making wholesome, home-cooked meals easily accessible. By providing the infrastructure for home cooks to transform into independent business owners, The BRDGE handles logistics, marketing, advertising, and sourcing to allow chefs to focus solely on food and labor costs. This support empowers cooks to operate out of commercial kitchens that meet health and safety standards, elevating the professionalism of their services.

Additionally, The BRDGE offers unique and affordable catering services for large events such as weddings and proms, which is a significant aspect of your business model. These services not only cater to large groups but also allow for personalized, large-volume cooking, creating a memorable dining experience.

Your unique brand proposition lies in your commitment to community-sourced comfort food, revolutionizing eating experiences by bringing authentic, affordable, and artisanal meals directly from home kitchens to consumers’ tables. This not only supports local economies but also preserves culinary traditions and personal touches that are often lost in larger food service operations.