Biz Lounge: How Mureithi slowly climbed to the apex of catering in Naivasha

Five years ago, Curtis Mureithi left formal employment with a dream to start his own catering service company, after working for a year as a chef.

To pursue it, he moved back to his parents' home, and after four months, he landed his first job through a referral.

"I moved back to my parents' house while figuring out how to bring my dream to life," he recalls. "I got a referral for a baby shower catering job and charged Sh. 20,000."

This was just the beginning since Mureithi soon received another job and shared his vision of starting Denish Events with his mother, who supported him by helping register his company, a process that took a week. 

Once registered, he found it easier to attract clients as he was now seen as a professional caterer.

Mureithi says his first three jobs were challenging, as he made minimal profit due to renting equipment, which left him with only around Sh. 4,000 as profit. 

“In the beginning, most of my earnings went toward hiring equipment, so my profit was low,” he explains. 

He also didn't initially factor equipment rental costs into his pricing, leading to smaller profit margins.

From his savings, Mureithi bought 50 plates, 50 spoons, a jiko, and two food warmers, reducing his dependency on rented items and cutting costs.

“Buying my own equipment helped lower my operating costs, something I wish I’d done sooner if I’d had the funds,” he reflects.

Over time, Mureithi's business expanded, with the largest event he catered serving 3,200 people at a funeral. 

Such large events brought their challenges, like managing a large team and safeguarding equipment. 

"For big events, I make sure my team is well-supported because they are crucial to the event’s success. To prevent theft, I have someone collect plates and spoons as people finish eating,” he says.

Starting alone, Mureithi can now employ up to 25 people per event. He earns an average of Sh. 50,000 in profit, depending on the event’s size. 

Two years ago, he diversified his services to include decor, expanding his business further.

One essential practice Mureithi highlights as a contributor to success is visiting the event location beforehand to plan effectively, advice he hopes aspiring caterers will adopt to avoid complications on the event day.

Mureithi dreams of catering for a national event someday. With this goal in mind, he has also managed to open a café in Naivasha.