Restaurateur Simpiwe Asiedu-Adjei has recently opened his first physical store following the success of his food truck business called, The Conjunktion.
Located in one of Durban’s coolest restaurant strips, Glenwood’s Davenport Road, the brand specialises in gourmet kasi flavours. Within the street food industry, they have created their unique style, which is inspired by American street food and South African kasi-style cooking.
Asiedu-Adjei said he started The Conjunktion in 2018 because of his love and passion for food.
“Years back I used to travel a lot working with food, so during my US visit I was inspired by how much the food truck industry is so huge on that side, which gave me the idea to start something unique and fresh around Durban because we do not have many food trucks on this side.
“The South African street food culture is not so popular compared to the other parts of the world.
“With the business, I have the freedom to create and express what I want, to share moments and build relationships with customers, which creates a culture for the brand,” he said.
Asked how the physical store came about, the 28-year-old from uMlazi, south of Durban, said he has always wanted to create a base where people can find them because the food truck was not in a fixed location, which made it challenging at times since people would want to buy food but could not locate them.
They also had not implemented a delivery services then. Asiedu-Adjei said it was a decision to step up and create a solid business model, which is still a work in progress.
“The space we are in is a food court which also has other restaurants serving different cuisines from ours. Business at the store so far is very challenging, especially since it is post Covid-19.
“The restaurant industry has taken a real knock where we see many restaurants closing down, yet we are trying to stay afloat and keep doing what we love, which is serving customers mouth-watering food, enjoy the new environment and also we are implementing activities to give customers a wholesome experience,” he said.
In 2019, the brand won the best foodie award at the Durban Creative Awards.
Asiedu-Adjei said the win and the growth of the business is a reflection of the hard work put in, the sacrifices made, and the time invested.
“There were many times when I could have given up but I held on and kept on pushing. It has helped me grow as an individual and also the business itself. It has been a crazy journey, I must say.
“I think from here the sky is not the limit, there is more beyond the sky. We are just going to keep on putting in the hard work. This is a reflection of how much we have worked. It is a recognition for us to grow,” he said.
In the near future, Asiedu-Adjei wants to own his own restaurant space and they are also looking into franchising the business and having their own food festival.
You can read the latest Food digimag here.