Nigerian University Students Turn Simple Campus Tool Into $1 Million Sensation With 100k Users In 5 Cities - Here's The Unbelievable Story Of HeyFood

HeyFood, a company founded in 2021 by a group of ingenious students at the University of Ibadan, has grown beyond its humble beginnings as a simple campus tool. Initially designed to make meal ordering easier for students on campus, HeyFood has since expanded its reach, now boasting over 100,000 users across five cities in Nigeria.

Head of Growth, Courage Afemije, took some time to share the incredible journey of how HeyFood made it to its first 1,000 users. Founded on the principles of simplifying food ordering for students, the founding team behind HeyFood set out to revolutionize the way young people order meals on campus.

“It all began when we, as students, realized how much of a hassle it was to stand in long lines to order food on campus,” said Courage. “We came together, combining our skills and knowledge, to build a solution that would make life easier for students. HeyFood was born.”

Within the first few weeks, HeyFood attracted a small but loyal following of students on the University of Ibadan campus. Encouraged by the positive reception and feedback, the team set its sights on growing the user base. This is when Courage came on board, bringing with him his expertise in growth hacking.

“We leveraged social media platforms to spread the word about HeyFood,” Courage explained. “We created engaging content, targeted at students, that would resonate with their desire for a seamless meal ordering experience. Our strategy worked, and soon we had a community of users evangelizing about HeyFood on campus.”

HeyFood continued to innovate and improve its offerings, incorporating user feedback into its services. With features such as streamlined ordering, real-time updates, and affordable prices, the startup was well on its way to capturing a significant share of the campus food market.

Reaching 1,000 users marked a significant milestone for HeyFood, demonstrating the market demand for a food ordering solution that caters specifically to the needs of students. With this achievement, the company solidified its position as a viable competitor in the Nigerian food tech market.

Since then, HeyFood has secured backing from Y Combinator, a leading global startup accelerator. With this vote of confidence, the company has accelerated its expansion into new cities, expanding its user base even further.

Operating in five cities in Nigeria, HeyFood continues to go head-to-head with established players in the food tech space. The company remains committed to its original mission of simplifying food ordering for students and young professionals.