Black History Month: introducing CHIKA’S
BLACK HISTORY MONTH IS AN IMPORTANT TIME TO CELEBRATE THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF BLACK PEOPLE IN BRITAIN. TODAY WE’RE HIGHLIGHTING THE INCREDIBLE WORK OF ONE OF OUR BLACK SUPPLIERS: CHIKA’S.
The backstory
English-Nigerian Chika Russell was born in the UK and spent every holiday immersed in the vibrant culture and food of Nigeria. There was something in particular that stood out to her: traditional street food made by local women to snack on, including ‘dodo’ (fried plantain), roasted yam and toasted ‘epa’ peanuts.
The products
It was these experiences in Nigeria that inspired Chika to create her own brand of delicious treats: CHIKA’s. She wanted her snack range to embody the energy and vibrancy of Nigeria, so every product has a unique story, inspired by her heritage.
‘Epa’ peanuts, grown in Nigeria, are a smaller and more intense variety of peanut. The secret to their intense, rich and creamy flavour is freshness and purity. Chika makes sure her peanuts are prepared entirely by hand and are ready to eat within four weeks of harvesting, with nothing added except salt. She works directly with local communities who grow her peanuts and uses a three-step process to turn them into her hand-toasted peanuts – a recipe and
process that has been tweaked and refined over generations. CHIKA’S range has recently expanded to include tasty smoked almonds, plantain crisps and more.
Charitable donations
CHIKA’S has a mission: to give back to communities that have inspired them. In 2019 they launched Snacks4Change, a partnership with World Vision to support African girls through education, enabling them to get the best start in life. Inspired by her own experiences as a child, Chika recognises the power of education and the desperate need for it in Africa. Today, 131 million girls aged 6–17 aren’t able to go to school. Her dream is to empower as many young girls as possible and give 38,000 girls access to education by 2024. CHIKA’S donates 1p per packet sold and 2% of their profits to World Vision.