Meet Burger Boys Zimbabwe, the team behind the best burger in Harare, maybe even Zimbabwe.
How did Burger Boys Zim come to be?
We were asked to have a food stall at Spring Strings in 2015 and we managed to do well there, and got good feedback about our burgers. Given the need to have multiple hustles going, we thought we would give it a proper go.
Who is involved in the brand and what do they do?
BBZW is made up of Team Vere and Team Murangari, two married couples all pushing the dream. We all do everything to be honest due to the size of our company. We’re lucky that we have a number of skills and qualifications within the group, namely marketing, program management, accounting and human resource management. So, we get to put them to good use.
Where do you hope to see the brand in the next 5 years?
In 5 years, we hope to have several food trucks operating in major business areas.
What inspires your recipes?
We love food, like in a serious way. We watch a lot of food shows and draw a lot of inspiration from there. We also try get ideas from friends, family and followers. We always laugh when they tag us in a post because they will want us to make it for them.
At times, we’re inspired by the people who invite us to events. Last year on African Day we were asked to prep an African burger and our mbambairai (veggie) burger was born.
What can we expect from you this year?
Expect more from us, bigger and better burgers. More collaborations and the launch of our first, and very own, food truck.
What would say has been the recipe to your success and how can others learn from that?
God has been good to us, to be honest. We are surrounded by supportive family and friends who thug it out with us, when we need help. Because of this we are committed to pushing this brand, even when things are bad we don’t lose sight of the goal. Plus, we believe a quality product sells itself over time, and one must always put 100% into what they’re doing.
Who has been the cornerstone of the business?
It has honestly been a team effort.
Is your time fully devoted to Burger Boys or are you all involved in other things?
This is Zimbabwe, and who can honestly afford to only push one hustle. Three of us are fully employed elsewhere and one of us also dabbles in ‘zvese zvese’, so we work around our busy schedules to make it work.
If you had to name one, who has been your favourite customer?
We couldn’t name just one. We have so many people who follow us to events just for our burgers so, to name just one would be unfair. We appreciate and love all our customers because by buying they allow us to keep doing this.
What is the best thing about being an entrepreneur and what is the worst?
The best thing is creative licence. You make decisions that can impact your business positively or negatively, thus it’s all on you.
We wouldn’t say there is anything we would call the worst thing about being an entrepreneur as with all things there is a learning curve when you delve into something new. You may hit a curve hard and feel dejected but when you feel this is something worth suffering through, you pick up the pieces and keep moving forward. Navigating through the different customer bases and educating customers on gourmet burgers can lead one to pull out their hair. Add to that red tape and the cost of doing business and dark days are many. Despite this, so far we’ve managed to overcome and it has been worth it.
Who is your favourite Zim chef and why?
Well for us food is art and we are most definitely loving De Ankarra Chef who we have had the privilege to work with, as well the Black Chef who are both hands down the dopest chefs in town. Then we would just be wrong not to say how much we love our graphic designer from Drift Creative Agency, Chamu. All our cool branding is thanks to this guy. Then Mama Diva aka Tenjiwe Mutiti who does all our props, did the creative design from our first pop up and the cool bench we move around with is always on point.
What keeps you motivated during the low moments in your life?
How good our burger taste hahahahah. On a real if we sold substandard burgers there would be no drive. However, because we lovingly make each patty and all our condiments the knowledge of how good our product is motivating us to keep pushing to get more people believing that we truly serve up one of the best burgers in town.
What sets apart your brand compared to other food businesses in Zim?
With food, it always comes down to taste and we believe we have made up some awesome combinations that differentiate us from others. We are also committed to proving that gourmet food does not have to be expensive, and it is not only to be enjoyed by a privileged few.
What are you most fond of about being Zimbabwean?
Zimbos have so much love though, on a real. Maybe we are biased because this is where we have lived for most of our lives but straight up the love people show is unlike any other. Also, being Zimbabwean and living in Zimbabwe, through hyperinflation to bond notes, we have been taught resilience and it will take a lot for you to break us.
What is the one thing you can’t live without?
Food, literally. True story.
What is the biggest lesson that you have learnt in life so far, that you wished you knew sooner?
Life is short, live it to the fullest right now and follow your passion. Like Oprah said find a way of making a living from what you love.
Any words of advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, particularly in the food/catering industry?
Let the food you serve up reflect yourself.Deliver food that will have customers coming back for more.Take pride in your hustle, whether you are serving up sadza in the industry, or serving up gourmet cuisine in a 5 star setup. Do something you can be proud of tomorrow. So, stop procrastinating because the timing will never be perfect. Just start and get on with it.
How can people get in touch with you and where can they find you?
People can get in touch with us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook (@BurgerBoysZW), email (Shingi, Tari, Carol or derric@burgerboys.co.zw) or catch us on WhatsApp (+263 71 343 2157, +263 77 410 6708).
Keep an eye on our platforms and you’ll see where we are on any given day. Our next confirmed event is the monthly Hustlers Market hosted by Moto Republik. It’s held on the first Saturday of each month. Be sure to check our pages for other events where we will be featuring.
