For many small and growing food businesses, the holiday season often comes with heightened expectations and heightened costs. But for vendors at the GTCO Food and Drinks Festival: Holiday Edition, the festive period delivered more than cheer: it brought visibility, customer traffic, and measurable sales growth.
Held over two days, the holiday fair created a bustling marketplace where food entrepreneurs engaged directly with consumers looking to shop, eat, and experience Nigerian flavours ahead of Christmas.
Vendors described the event as a strategic platform that combines commerce with brand exposure, particularly for businesses still carving out space in a competitive market.
Dimeji, founder of plantain-focused brand Dodo Gang, said the festival offered small businesses a rare opportunity to engage customers on a large, professional stage. According to him, the platform allows emerging brands to “look big” while building authentic connections with consumers.
Dodo Gang, known for promoting plantain culture through food, fashion, and community events, showcased its range of offerings at the fair. Dimeji said the event enabled the brand to reconnect with existing customers and attract new ones, reinforcing its identity beyond just food sales.
For Licious Desserts, the holiday timing translated directly into strong commercial returns. Founder Moturayo Akinseye, a fifth-time participant, described the experience as “absolutely fantastic,” noting that increased holiday shopping activity boosted sales and customer turnout.
She said repeated participation in the festival has helped her brand steadily grow revenue and expand its customer base, making the fair a dependable feature of her business calendar.
Other vendors highlighted the long-term branding value of the platform. Paul Mwaduba, representing Tabapulo Palm Oil, said the festival provided exposure for the Bayelsa-produced, uniquely packaged palm oil brand to audiences it might not otherwise reach.
While he observed differences in foot traffic compared to previous editions, Mwaduba said the fair remained valuable for gathering customer feedback, enhancing brand awareness, and conducting market testing.
That long-term impact resonated with Taiwo Oludairo, founder of Ejire Onigari Limited, who recalled that the GTCO Food and Drink Festival was one of the first platforms to showcase her business when she began exhibiting in 2019.
According to her, relationships formed at earlier editions have evolved into loyal customers years later, demonstrating how visibility at the fair can translate into sustained business growth. Ejire Onigari displayed a variety of Nigerian staples, including sand-free garri, naturally sourced fish, sun-dried crayfish, and palm oil.
Beyond sales, Oludairo said the event creates an opportunity for networking, learning, and collaboration among entrepreneurs who face similar challenges.
First-time exhibitors, including Edibles by Lera Ipapanu and Aga’s Wholesome Foods, echoed similar sentiments, saying the fair introduced their brands to new customers while promoting natural and locally sourced food products.
Across the board, participants credited GTCO’s platform with helping them tap into the lucrative December market, drive sales, and strengthen brand recognition during one of the busiest retail seasons of the year.
As the holiday edition wrapped up, the GTCO Food and Drink Fair once again positioned itself as more than a festival, serving as a meeting point for commerce, culture, and community, and reinforcing its role in supporting Nigeria’s growing food and beverage ecosystem.