Jamila Zomah, a Ghanaian American entrepreneur, is bridging the gap between Africans in the United States and their favorite cuisines from home through her innovative platform, African Dishout.
Originally from Kumasi, Ghana, Zomah moved to the United States in 2012.
Her journey to founding African Dishout began during her maternity leave, where she faced challenges ordering food online from African restaurants due to the lack of delivery services and online menus.
Determined to solve this problem not only for herself but for the entire African community in the U.S., Zomah launched African Dishout.
Starting with just one restaurant on board, African Dishout has now expanded to collaborate with over 200 restaurants representing various African countries, including Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, and Ethiopia.
The platform has facilitated over 150,000 deliveries in and out of New York, the Bronx, and recently expanded to Massachusetts and parts of Boston.
African Dishout’s success lies in its ability to build trust and foster relationships within the African community and with restaurant owners.
Zomah personally onboarded the initial restaurants in her bid to connect on a unique level to gain trust and loyalty.
One of the significant barriers African Dishout faced was convincing restaurants to embrace technology and adapt to online delivery platforms. However, over the years, Zomah and her team have guided restaurant owners through the process, resulting in increased efficiency and customer satisfaction.
African Dishout stands out from its competitors by offering a diverse range of African cuisines, recognizing that Africa is a continent rich in culinary diversity, says Zomah in an interview with OkayAfrica.
Unlike mainstream food delivery apps, African Dishout provides users with an extensive selection of dishes from various African regions, ensuring that customers feel seen and catered to.
“You go on mainstream food apps and there’s an ‘African’ category, but I may be Ghanaian, and never had Sierra Leoneon dishes. Or maybe I’m Nigerian and want to order from a Somali restaurant or get an Ethiopian dish. Africa is not merely a continent. It’s a complex web of so many different regions and cultures. Food is a big part of our lives. We want to give our users the experience of having a range of options. We want them to look at the variety that we offer, and feel seen and spoken to,” says Zomah.
As a Black Muslim woman in the U.S., Zomah has faced unique challenges but remains determined to succeed and set an example for her children.
She envisions African Dishout becoming the go-to destination for Africans in the U.S., not only for food delivery but also for other services like grocery delivery and international money transfers.
With ambitious long-term goals, African Dishout aims to expand its services to major cities with large African populations, ultimately becoming the premier platform for all African users in the United States.
