Ann Wanjiku Waichigo, popularly known as Ciiku wa Soxxy, the wife to gospel DJ Soxxy, was on Saturday, January 7, 2023, appointed Kenya’s first Executive Manager for Tupperware.
This American multinational company manufactures and ships home product lines worldwide, including kitchen gadgets, preparation, storage containers, and serving products for the kitchen and home.
Ciiku joined Tupperware in April 2021 as a unit manager to supplement her income in the post-pandemic economy that severely impacted the Kenyan economy.
Speaking exclusively to Nairobi News on January 22, 2023, Ms Waichigo said this appointment was exciting for her because she had managed to land it in one year instead of the two years she had given herself to achieve it. She attributed this achievement to her consistency and putting in the time at work.
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However, the journey to this Executive Manager role hadn’t been easy for Ciiku. She explained that marketing and selling the Tupperware brand in Kenya had its highs and lows, but it was a work in progress because it was not a popular brand in Kenya as it is in the United States of America and South Africa.
“Just like anything in life, it had its ups and downs. With Tupperware being a new brand/concept in the Kenyan market, it involves a lot of explaining, demonstrating how the products work, and follow-up to make sure the clients are well-settled with their purchases.
We definitely have a long way to go because, unlike South Africa or the US where Tupperware is a household name, here in Kenya, we are just scratching the surface. The best part about it all the clients who have purchased always come back for me with the excitement of how the products have transformed their homes,” added Ciiku.
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As with every business venture, Ciiku and the Tupperware brand faced challenges as they broke into the Kenyan market.
“When Earl Tupper invented Tupperware in 1946, he had been tasked to develop a bowl that was both airtight and liquid-tight for the American Army as they went for world war II.
The bowl needed to keep the army’s food fresh for longer periods of time, and also it wasn’t supported to leak as the troop would go for long days away from their base.
With this in mind, the Tupperware brand was and still is known for its creative invention regarding food preservation.
The biggest challenge was to convince Kenyans to pick up this brand that cost times the regular brand and experience the magic of preserving their food.
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It involved doing videos and at times, even paying visits to some clients and lending them my containers to convince them that the brand works.
The other challenge was also convincing women that there was a business opportunity when it came to selling Tupperware and that they would sell it from the comfort of their home – thank God for WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook etc-and, make 27% out of each sale they made.
There is no joining fee, the training on how to use the products is free and it is basically a way to empower the women and men to make a living even with the looming low job opportunities,” Ciiku further explained.
According to Ciiku, Tupperware products have lifetime guarantees as long as a buyer uses the items according to Tupperware’s specifications, Tupperware containers keep food fresh for up to 3 weeks and cutting down on the costs of purchasing groceries, and their products are BPA-free, meaning there are no chemicals spilling into food and drinks stored in their containers and bottles.
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In this new role, Ann Waichigo plans to make 2023 the year that she will go for the top position at Tupperware, that of a Team Leader, which comes with a company vehicle and intense traveling.
“My words for 2023 are Elevate, Empower and Enjoy. I am definitely going for the top position, which is Tupperware Team Leader, which comes with a company car and loads of travel.
I plan to empower my team members not only with my knowledge in marketing, as this is my background, but also with life skills like Financial acumen, last year we started learning how to save the little we made with readily available Apps. And this year, I definitely plan to enjoy as I live out this dream,” added Ciiku.
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In her parting shot, Ciiku wa Soxxy shared a quote that spoke to her over the years, “Don’t be afraid to start something. Start even with fear, start with doubt. But Start!”
Ciiku wa Soxxy is also the Founder PCOS Foundation of Kenya, a nonprofit organization that pushes for advocacy of polycystic ovarian syndrome.
The Mayo Clinic diagnoses PCOS as a problem with hormones that happens during reproductive years. In this syndrome, many small sacs, called cysts, of fluid develop along the outer edge of the ovary and they contain immature eggs called follicles. The follicles fail to release eggs regularly.
Some symptoms of PCOS include acne, infertility, irregular menstruation, and weight gain, which vary from person to person.
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