L-R: Ekerete Ola Gam-Ikon, Consultant/Public Speaker; Nanso, Abraham Nda-Isaiah’s wife; Abraham Nda-Isaiah, CEO, Leadership Newspapers; Mrs. Ezinne Kufre-Ekanem, CEO, Rosemary’s Limited; Ageni Yusuf, former Corporate Affairs Adviser, Nigerian Breweries Plc; at the opening of Rosemary’s Showroom in Abuja recently.

An indigenous soft furnishing company, Rosemary’s Showroom, has increased the amount of local content contained in its production of various products after hit by increase in forex and effect of economic recession in Nigeria. The company made a U-turn from it’s hitherto production formula when over 65% of its raw materials were sourced from abroad.

Mrs. Ezinne Kufre-Ekanem, Chief Executive Officer, Rosemary’s Limited, owners of Rosemary’s Showroom, disclosed this during the opening of the company showroom in Abuja on Saturday.

According to her, Rosemary’s Limited had over the 13 years of its existence used majorly foreign content to produce many of its choice soft furnishing products.

However, she disclosed that the prevailing economic recession has spurred her team to look backward in sourcing for equally quality raw materials that can deliver the kind of high standard that Rosemary’s Showroom is renowned for in Nigeria and beyond. “Today, we now look inward. The current situation in the country has taught us to look inward and this has taught us a good lesson. It has taught us to come out with creativity that now stands us out. We now have Kente fashion, Adire Fashion and a host of other local content laced products we produce”, she stated.

On why the company chose Abuja as the next target after Lagos where the company started from, Mrs. Kufre-Ekanem explained that Rosemary’s only responded to the tips from the market. She disclosed that the volume of requests coming from the Federal Capital Territory is not comparable to what comes from other cities in the country.

According to her, the opening of the Abuja office will enable the company bring the world-class soft furnishing and creative approach to interior decorations to the capital city of Nigeria.

However, she said the next expansion would be to Port-Harcourt, Rivers State or Uyo, Akwa Ibom State in 2017. According to her, Rosemary’s statistics show that those two cities top the list of the company’s sales turnover.

However, Mrs. Kufre-Ekanem acknowledged that for any indigenous entrepreneur to survive in Nigeria, such needs commitment and perseverance to survive.

She recalled the challenges Rosemary’s faced at inception in Lagos when its landlord then served the company a quit notice, a development the management did not expect at that time. “That challenge, coupled with epileptic electricity supply and forex volatility is enough to force a small business out of existence”, she stated.

Mrs. Kufre-Ekanem therefore implored government to make the environment more conducive for entrepreneurs in order to boost gross domestic product in the country.

Established in 2003, Rosemary’s is a niche-focused, passion driven home comfort company that specializes in soft furnishing with a deep belief in personal service. The company boasts of a team that is affectionately involved in thinking, making and delivering world- standard furniture from an African perspective.

L-R: Abraham Nda-Isaiah, CEO, Leadership Newspapers; his wife, Nanso; Mrs. Ezinne Kufre-Ekanem, CEO, Rosemary’s Limited; and Kufre Ekanem, Corporate Affairs Adviser, Nigerian Breweries Plc; at the opening of Rosemary’s Showroom in Abuja recently.

The company boasts of a range of products that cuts across beds, lounge chairs, settees, dining tables, coffee stools, among others. The CEO said: “We conceive, design and build quality furniture for your home. Each item is tastefully hand-finished to high standards whether it is made from metal, wood or glass.”

According to her, beds are an important piece of furniture in our homes, considering the amount of time people spend on them when sleeping. As a result of that, she said a bed should be fit for beauty sleep; strong & sturdy enough to carry body frames, big & wide enough to allow us stretch out our full lengths and at the same time cozy enough to allow one snuggle up too. “Our beds provide all these and much more. Built to last and last in styles that are timeless, our beds do the job that they have been built to do like providing you with a perfect sleep at any time of the day or night you desire it,” she stated.

Besides, Kufre-Ekanem noted that the perfect dinning set compliments and completes your living space; adding that your dinning set of choice should be the right height providing adequate seating comfort to enable the family (and friends) bond & enjoy a meal together again and again. “We offer a wide range of styles ranging from 4, 6 & 8 seater sets”, she disclosed.

Ekanem therefore assures prospective customers in Abuja and its environs that it can also package any of the products as gifts to loved ones and associates during and after festive seasons.

She said the company renders Décor Advisory Services (DAS) to discerning individuals and corporate bodies. “We unearth and proffer what is best for your space. Then, we listen again….We call it Rosemary’s Décor Advisory Services (DAS), but many of our clients have warmer names for it. We never forget that it is your space and that you are a unique being,” Kufre-Ekanem concluded.