“I Packed Biscuits at Night and Cleaned Floors by Day”: The Raw Reality of Returning to Ghana
We often hear the polished versions of “Returnee Stories”—the glamorous launches and the seamless transitions. But Sesime Lotsu’s journey from the cold factories of Scotland to the shelves of Ghana’s biggest supermarkets is the unfiltered truth every member of the diaspora needs to hear.
Founder of Beina’s Prime Enterprise, Sesime didn’t start with a silver spoon. She started with a passion for snacks and a realization that the “abroad” dream isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be.
The Myth of “No Jobs” in Ghana
Sesime is firm on one thing: “I do not believe there are no jobs in Ghana.” According to her, the issue isn’t a lack of work—it’s a lack of attitude and loyalty. In her view, if Ghanaians approached work with the same “survival grit” they use in London or New York, the local economy would be transformed.
The Diaspora Struggle: “Not Qualified to Wash Plates”
Many in the diaspora will relate to Sesime’s time in the UK. Despite her background, she recalls a stinging rejection letter stating she was “not qualified to clean plates” for a job she applied to.
She eventually landed a job at a biscuit factory in Scotland. “I was packing biscuits at night… dreaming that I was eating them because I was so tired.” She saw African doctors and lawyers doing the same—covered in factory gear, their professional dignity hidden by the cold and the grind. It was this exhaustion that sparked a thought: If I can work this hard for someone else’s company in the cold, why can’t I do it for myself in Ghana?
The “Returnee” Trap: Land and Farming
Like many in the diaspora, Sesame’s first instinct upon returning was to send money home for land. She bought a 2.5-acre palm plantation, but soon learned the hard lesson many investors face: Agriculture is not a “set and forget” business. * The money she pumped in didn’t match the output.
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The rains were inconsistent.
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Her funds were depleting without a steady return.
Reclaiming Her Passion: Beina’s Prime
Realizing she needed to refine her skills, Sesime ignored the “inferiority” some feel about being a food seller. She enrolled in Ho Poly for catering and later earned a Masters from KNUST, all while baking pies and frying plantain chips in her hostel to pay her own fees.
She named her brand Beina’s Prime after her grandmother, Sabina. She didn’t wait for a shop; she sold to classmates, teachers, and eventually fought her way into the retail space.
“One shop sacked me over and over. One day, they told me the regular supplier wasn’t there. I stepped in, and I never stopped. To this day, I still supply them.”
The Victory
Today, Beina’s Prime products (Plantain Chips and Ginger Biscuits) are FDA-approved and stocked in:
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Shell (Vivo) Forecourt shops
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Various retail outlets across Accra
Lessons for the Diaspora
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Kill the Ego: Don’t be “too big” to start a small hustle. Sesime was a Masters student selling snacks in her car.
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Education Matters: She used her degree to bring professional standards to a “local” product.
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Agriculture Needs Presence: Don’t just send money for a farm; understand the soil and the system first.
viewGhana Verdict
Sesime’s story proves that the “Gold Coast” still has gold, but you have to be willing to get your hands dirty to find it.
Watch more diaspora stories and business people sharing their experience on My Business Story GH
