African grocery and snack stall opens at Norwich Market 

A couple who had to travel to London to get authentic African food spotted a gap in the market in Norwich and now have their own stall.  

Mufu and Tola Durowoju were both born in Nigeria and moved to Norwich from London three years ago, but although they loved living in Norfolk they found it hard to find shops selling food from their childhood.

They then had the idea to launch their own business selling African groceries and snacks and Duro Food launched online in May 2020. 

The couple began travelling to London once a week to source the products, ranging from fresh yams to plantain chips, and offered in-person delivery in Norwich and the capital and nationwide postage. 

It now has a permanent home at stall 179 on Norwich Market, where their daughter Zarah also owns ZB Hair.

Mr Durowoju, 58, said: "We were thinking about doing something unique and different and wanted to have our own brand.

"When we came to Norwich we quickly found there weren't a lot of Afro-Caribbean places to buy things from and we needed to go to London to buy groceries.

"We realised there was an opportunity to start something here."

On offer at the stall are fresh vegetables, condiments, grains and flours, snacks, spices and seasonings, meat and seafood and ready meals, with click-and-collect and delivery also available. 

The ready meals include Jollof rice, Efo Riro, which is a spinach stew, and Ila Asepo, which is okra mixed with spinach, bitter leaf and a choice of meat or seafood. 

Mrs Durowoju, 52, is also a talented cook and she is currently looking to open another stall at Norwich Market offering hot food. 

She said: "There is a Caribbean hot food shop at the market but not an African one.

"We are looking to open it in the near future serving authentic West African food.

"Norwich has such a lovely community and everyone says hello, it is a lovely place to be." 

The stall is currently open 10am to 4pm Monday to Saturday and order online at durofood.com