Mary-Ann Musangi Kirubi, daughter of the late billionaire businessman Chris Kirubi, has revealed that she had to shut down her food venture, consisting of two restaurants and a catering business, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The government’s restrictions on people’s movements and activities hit many restaurateurs, including Kirubi, who had to let go of her staff and sell all her assets within the restaurant business as it became difficult to navigate through the pandemic financially.
At the height of the crisis, hotels and restaurants were no-go zones as the government imposed heavy restrictions, including closures and limited operating hours, which sharply cut revenues. The hospitality industry was one of the worst hit by the pandemic and it is expected to take until 2023 for the industry to recover. Kirubi says that running a restaurant business requires good control measures, people management skills, and patience to avoid leakage and theft and to navigate the industry effectively.
Kirubi had previously worked in the corporate world for over 25 years, including positions in KCB Bank Group and British multinational pharmaceutical GlaxoSmithKline. Although she had a lack of hospitality experience, Kirubi took on the challenge and opened her first business in 2011, only to shut it down due to the pandemic.
She has since scrapped any plans to open another food outlet, having sold the restaurant assets at a loss. Despite the challenges, Kirubi loved the experience of running the restaurants and creating with chefs, as well as meeting new people every day.
She has since shifted to overseeing other businesses within the Kirubi portfolio.
