Fast-rising supermarket, Bokku Mart is a favorite among Lagosians for its cheap prices on various consumer goods on their shelves. Founded in September 2022, the best discount grocery store is providing a good competition for other big supermarkets who existed before it.
More importantly, when I first started hearing about Bokku! It is for its bread. Bokku Mart is legendary for its fluffy, milky, and sweet bread which attracts customers to all of its outlets in Agege, Egbeda, Dopemu, Ogba, Surulere, and other parts of Lagos. The bread is enjoyed by the young and old, children topping the charts. It is eaten in several places outside Lagos as customers buy many loaves in the specially-branded Bokku bags on their travels to give as gifts to their families and friends.
Lately and unannounced, the branded bags is being put on sale. Why? ‘Why should your customers be buying what will even be doing publicity for your company?’ I wondered. It doesn’t seem to make business sense for a brand that is still growing. I should think that all forms of publicity is needed.
However, upon hearing the reason, I applauded it. It is a pro-environment policy, a decision which environmental activists would love. But I think the management didn’t cascade this decision well enough to their staff across all their still-counting outlets who will then carry the message to the customers.
My mentor who was disappointed with the poor customer service at the Dopemu outlet later got the real information at the Egbeda outlet of the same organization. He wrote and I quote, ‘I later learnt from one of their managers why they don’t give out their packaging nylons free; it’s to help reduce environmental pollution. You either bring your own nylon or buy one from them for N100. Makes GOOD environmental policy sense, but needs to be brilliantly and succinctly communicated, especially to a first time customer like me.’
There, you have it. The Bokku Mart is selling its branded bags to address the matter of plastic pollution in Nigeria. Nylon is a synthetic material. It is non-biodegradable. It will remain in the environment for years after disposal. It is important to Use, Reuse, Recycle, not just your Bokku branded bags but also every type of nylon bags in your homes and offices.
Kudos to the management of Bokku Mart. May your brand continue to grow and become a national and global icon.