Mohammadou Taffa mixes up juice recipes for a healthy lifestyle
Name: Mohammadou Taffa Age: 40 Position: Co-owner (with my wife Michelle Iman Myrie), The Juice Kitchen, 560 Concession St., Hamilton Job description: I am responsible for all of The Juice Kitchen’s daily operations. I manage the store and create juice recipes. How did you come to be in
this job? When I first moved to Hamilton, we sold different things, such as shea butter and African art at festivals. Two years ago, I thought about shifting the business to promote healthy lifestyles. Drawing from the experience of family business owners, my wife suggested we open a juice store in Hamilton. I’ve always loved cooking and trying new recipes, coupled with my desire to advocate for healthy lifestyles, this was the perfect next step. What gets you up in the morning? I love this neighbourhood! I love coming to work every day and being a part of Concession Street, serving customers, and meeting new people. We don’t just sell juice at The Juice Kitchen; we interact with customers, help them achieve their goals and promote healthy living lifestyles. Lessons learned: One of the main lessons I have learned is that success takes a long time. I have to be on the road quite frequently, promoting my business and engaging with people in festivals and markets. It’s a lot of effort, but I know all the hard work will pay off in the end. It takes patience to be successful!
Roots: I am originally from Niger. I lived in the U.S. for a few years and then moved to Hamilton in 2009 with my wife to be closer to her family.
Contacts: Facebook: The Juice Kitchen Ham; Email: thejuicekitchenham@gmail.com; Instagram: JuiceKitchenHam; Twitter: @juicekitchenham;
Website: www.thejuicekitchen.ca Groups and associations: Concession BIA and Afro Canadian Caribbean Association Favourite place in Hamilton: I love everything about Hamilton, but if I had to choose, I would say Concession Street. I love the street, the neighbours, the businesses and the people who work here. What would make Hamilton
a better city? Hamilton would be a better city if it continued to encourage more diversity. Over the last nine years, I have seen the positive effects of diversity in our community and would like to see that continue. From a business point of view, I would like to see expanded sidewalks for pedestrians, and improved transit between the mountain and downtown to connect the two communities together. What’s next for you? Expand, expand and expand! My plan is to expand to downtown Hamilton. We don’t have a specific location in mind yet. Wherever we go, we would like to be able to grow with the street, the same way we did on Concession Street. I would also like to open other stores in the GTA and Niagara Region. It’s a big dream!
This feature was co-ordinated by the Hamilton Immigration Partnership Council (HIPC), Global Hamilton and Workforce Planning Hamilton to highlight professionals from a diversity of backgrounds.