New Brooklyn café owned by brothers brings New Yorkers a taste of Africa
The brothers say it’s their goal to show people there’s more to Africa than what they may see on TV.
More Stories
A new café in Bed-Stuy is bringing the flavors of Africa to Brooklyn, serving up dishes like jollof rice with a side of coffee.
Brothers Ibrahim and Mohammed Diallo launched their business with less than $1,000 in 2015, first by selling their ginger cold brew before expanding and opening Ginjan Café in Harlem. They’ve now opened their newest location on Nostrand Avenue.
"Ginjan is a food and beverage company with a mission of bringing African flavors to the world,” said Mohammed. “The mission was always to essentially communicate the best of Africa without having to talk much, and food is one of the best ways to do that."
The owners say that they’ve faced their fair share of struggles, even running out of money after their first year of business. But thanks to a small business grant from Fedex in 2016, the brothers were able to stay afloat.
The brothers say it’s their goal to show people there’s more to Africa than what they may see on TV.
“Africa is more than just charity and war and famine. It's a lot of the negative but there's also a lot of the positive and that's what we want to bring to the table,” said Ibrahim.
