Champion of African cuisine, LaFortune Jeannette Djabea is founder and president of Mola Foods and champion of African cuisine.
“I hope to create awareness about a revolutionary way of adding spices into cooking and bringing life to dishes,” says Djabea, who notes her love of food began at age 11 when she started cooking for the whole family. She was also the special taste tester for Aunt Berthe.
The business, now known as Mola Foods, Inc., started when a friend approached her with the idea to start a chili sauce company featuring Cameroonian recipes from her own heritage. Initially, she hesitated to make her passion a business but realized it was her calling. Six months into the venture; she contacted her best friend Tiffany, a professional chef, and pitched the idea to expand the line of products beyond Chili Relishes.
“I want to introduce people to my heritage and African cuisine in general,” says Djabea. When you try our products or food, you really can experience a bit of our culture, which I hope encourage people to explore more about Africa and our amazing diversity.”