How Kenyan Street Food Stalls Adapt to Weather

I once navigated the busy street food stalls in Nairobi on a rainy evening and could not resist the aroma of various food flavours in the air. I was amazed by the resilience of the street food vendors despite the rainy evening that caused disruptions to their businesses. 

What impressed me the most was how quickly these vendors adapted to ensure their customers stayed comfortable as they enjoyed their treats. This article will explore how Kenyan food stalls adapt to weather to remain relevant and profitable. So, read on to find out more.

1. Adopting Cooking Techniques and Shelter

Street food vendors are flexible and can adjust their cooking techniques during the rainy season. For example, vendors dealing in outdoor grilled food, like the popular Nyama Choma (roasted meat), switch to covered charcoal stoves or portable grills. They place such stoves on elevated areas to avoid contact with flooded ground while maintaining steady heat levels regardless of the damp situation.

Street food presentation techniques

Vendors even build small movable grill huts out of metal sheets in some other places. Such grill huts allow them to prepare meals even when the wind is fierce. They always cover the flames to make the food cook evenly and safely. These steps show how they are ready to face the challenges head-on.

2. Setting Up Waterproof Shelters

Sheltered street food vendors

There are many ways street food vendors protect their equipment and space. Among them is how they utilize waterproof shelters. Many use heavy-duty plastic sheets to create makeshift roofs over their stalls. Vendors in towns like Nairobi or Mombasa Old Town use draping tarps over their setups, from the Cooking area to the customer seating. In some cases, these tarps are designed to act as funnels to help in guiding water away from the cooking areas. 

3. Collaborating for Shared Shelter

As challenges arise occasionally in the street food business, these vendors use the advantage of friendship. In areas with high vendor density, many vendors set up shops in shared shelters. This arrangement is cost-effective unlike owning their waterproof shelters singlehandedly.

A good example is the Gikomba marketplace, where several vendors often come together to buy waterproof tents, protecting each other from the impact of heavy rains.

4. Timing Business Hours 

During the rainy season, sudden downpours constantly interrupt business hours, thus causing losses to vendors. Most street food vendors have adjusted their schedules to serve customers and counter the impact. They operate earlier than usual or stay a little longer in the evening. 

Vendors remain updated by monitoring weather reports so they can better plan their day and serve their customers efficiently. For instance, in Nairobi, you will notice that some vendors open their shops early when the rains are lighter. Other sellers prefer post-rain hours when customers are just coming out and about.

5. Adopting Mobile Carts

Customized mobile food carts

When you visit cities like Nairobi and Mombasa, most vendors operate from Mobile food carts. This allows them to move to sheltered locations, especially when rains become intense. Mobile cart vendors often set up areas with some natural cover.

A good example is mutura sellers (Kenyan sausage), who swiftly roll their carts to drier areas. That helps them save their equipment and business as well.

6. Building Customer Relationships

The rainy season sometimes causes a decline in local or casual customers. However, regular customers are still likely to visit the food stalls. To avoid experiencing business declines, vendors consistently create a sense of loyalty to keep the customers coming.

For instance, in Nairobi CBD, vendors know some of their regular customers by name and sometimes even prepare food in advance for them.

Fun fact, vendors took it a notch further by asking their regular customers for their contacts. All you gotta do is place an order, and your groceries are delivered straight to your doorstep.

Yes, even mama mboga now slice your favourite greens and deliver them, or you can pick them whenever you’re ready. This way, the vendors minimise the impact of adverse weather on their businesses. 

Rainy Season is No longer a Threat

The rainy season brings several challenges to Kenyan vendors. They have to deal with unpredictable weather and muddy floors but have never given up because of their resilience and creativity. So, no matter the season, Kenyan street food vendors have developed better coping methods. As a frequent customer in these stalls, I have come to love the brilliance of the vendors. 

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