Tendai Taruvinga
Plant-based food entrepreneur
Founder, Veafy
Nourishing people and the planet with sustainable, plant-based African meals
Tendai Taruvinga was one of our Smashing Stereotypes profiles in 2022. He studied architecture before moving into the construction sector, and when the pandemic hit, he made a bold career change: he founded Veafy, a plant-based, African-inspired food delivery service. That same year, he won an Innovate UK Young Innovators Award.
Since then, Veafy has grown significantly, expanding into new markets across the country and reaching a much wider audience.
Tendai is now part of the NatWest Accelerator Programme, which is helping him scale the business. With growing his team on the horizon, Veafy is thriving, and we wanted to revisit his story.
From construction to the kitchen
I started my STEM career in civil engineering as a construction package manager, before moving into a design management role. I oversaw various design and technical aspects of construction, working alongside consultants, including architects, structural engineers, and mechanical engineers, to ensure their designs aligned.
While I enjoyed working in construction, and I might revisit in the future in some form, cooking was something I truly loved. And starting my business ‘Veafy,’ a plant-powered African meal prep service was a natural step from that passion.
The science of cooking
My career in STEM began in construction but even as a food entrepreneur, STEM is a big part of my life. Many may not realise that there is a great degree of science involved in food preparation, especially in achieving the right taste and balance of ingredients.
From a public health perspective, there’s increasing research into nutrition and the long-term benefits of eating more plant-based foods. It’s widely acknowledged that consuming more vegetables and greens has a positive impact on overall well-being, something which I am looking to facilitate with Veafy.
Even as a business owner, I rely on my numeracy skills for accounting and ensuring compliance with regulations.
While you might start working in one field but transition to another, you still end up using transferable skills. Engineering, for example, involves process-driven thinking, which can be applied in many different industries.
Changing perceptions of a ‘STEM’ person
Growing up, my perception of STEM was somewhat rigid: I mostly thought of scientists as people working in a lab setting. But the definition of a scientist has broadened so much now and is being redefined.
I never saw myself as a scientist, but looking at the modern definition, I realise that I do fit into that category. Young people should know that STEM isn’t limited to traditional careers like engineering or medicine.
Representation matters
When I worked in construction, it was rare that you would see Black professionals in the industry.
Through my platform as an entrepreneur, I want to show others, especially those from diverse backgrounds, that there are opportunities in entrepreneurship and across STEM professions.
Expanding Veafy through entrepreneurial awards
There is significant support available for entrepreneurs, and I’ve been fortunate to benefit from so many, including from organisations like The Prince’s Trust (now King’s Trust), NatWest and Innovate UK.
Through Innovate UK, I was named a winner of the Young Innovators Awards 2021/22 which led to being recognised by the British Science Association and my involvement in their 2022 Smashing Stereotypes campaign.
As part of the Young Innovators programme, I took on ambassadorial responsibilities, giving talks at schools, including one in Kent, to inspire young people about careers in STEM and entrepreneurship.
Winning the Young Innovators Award was a major turning point in my entrepreneurial journey. It gave me exposure and the opportunity to be featured in the Smashing Stereotypes campaign. The £5,000 grant I received allowed me to invest in my business, operate from a commercial kitchen for a period, and gain valuable experience.
That responsibility pushed me to grow my business by growing my client base and increasing my turnover, as I had the financial commitment of running a commercial kitchen.
The award opened networking opportunities, including a visit to the London Stock Exchange, an inspiring experience that encouraged to me to broaden my horizons, and set my commercial aspirations higher.
Reflecting and moving forward with Veafy
Initially, I saw Veafy as a business that could eventually provide me with a stable income. Now, I envision it becoming a nationwide brand.
I am fortunate to have benefitted from all these experiences which have helped to grow Veafy into a significant and culturally relevant enterprise with substantial growth capability.
My journey proves that if you utilise your acquired skills to your advantage, you can transfer and apply your knowledge anywhere and there’s no limit on how far you can go.
Nurturing a passion for technology from a young age
I was always very interested in creating things as a child, whether it was putting together a model car or building toys. I had a very engineering-oriented mentality, and everything I encountered, be it a toy or a tool, intrigued me. So, from my childhood, I had a natural interest in technology.
At the time, I was in a supplementary school for African children. Supplementary schools are community-led organisations which usually operate at weekends, providing additional sessions on home language studies, cultural activities and religious studies. My one offered core subject support and taught elements of Black African history. It not only helped with my studies in primary school but also unmasked my learning difficulties.
