Cafe Canunu in Soroti Town has outstanding customer care. Photo by Denis Mukungu
I combed Soroti Town searching for a coffee shop and my efforts did bare fruit. As a coffee lover, I always find myself yearning and my blood boiling for a cup. Café Canunu’s waitresses are quick to throw a “You’re welcome” gesture, dotted with a smile as you walk in.
As I took a seat, a smiley waitress sauntered my way with a brownish book – it contained the menu. On handing it to me, she took a step back and patiently watched as I took time to make my choice from the many options. I ordered for a cup of Americano.
In an instant, my order was right at my table, steaming, oozing an aroma of strong African coffee. Receiving my order in just minutes swept me off my feet, because such simple orders would take years to come at the other places I often take my coffee from.
Within just two years in business, Café Canunu has etched its name in the hearts of its clients for delivering orders in record time, “After making an order, the next minute you see the order on your table,” Alfred, a regular at the Café said when I inquired.
Located in the heart of Soroti Town on Gweri Road, Café Canunu’s environ is permeated with continuous hissing of the coffee machine, the nose pricking aroma of organic African coffee, the melting smiles from the waitresses, giving you the real coffee shop experience.
According to the proprietor, Ms Caroline Nambuya, there were no coffee shops in the whole of Soroti Town and this is what pushed her to start up Café Canunu. “I also realised there was no place offering fast foods and local foods so I chose to combine the two.”
Café Canunu’s customer care service is the essence of business, with down to earth waitresses who are eager to take and deliver your order with beaming smiles, a seemingly experienced barrister and a friendly business oriented proprietor who listens to the needs of her clients.
Peak hours
“The coffee shop is always full during morning hours, lunch time and in the evenings. Besides that, we always get customers who come in one by one,” says Nambuya. She adds that in the evening, the coffee shop gets full inside and at the balcony. The café serves as a meeting point for friends and business associates.
Food and drinks
When I looked at the menu, it had more than three pages of different food stuffs on offer, with a variety and a customer might be spoilt for choice.
“The menu is rich because I combined fast foods and local foods since most people usually do either of the two,” Nambuya says.
The place also offers smoothies and juices, as well as soft drinks.
Clientele
Ever since the café opened its doors, Nambuya says the customer numbers keep fattening, indicating the growing numbers of coffee lovers in the town.
“We receive a lot of foreign nationals who have come to enjoy their holidays. But the largest number of our clients are the locals,” she says.
Challenges
Nambuya notes that the café is limited by space so it cannot accommodate a large number of people at the same time.
She adds that the location too is not favourable since it is hidden. “The café is hidden but I try so much to make the place conducive for our customers”.
Although its proprietor thinks the place is hidden, the customers think the location is just okay.
“I feel secure here, it is hidden and that is what makes it special,” Alfred says.