Dark Nubia Naturals; What once was Dark, has now become Light

BY SIMONE SMITH

“Simone I am so tired!” “I hear you Peta; I can only imagine with all that you have to do.” This is how my conversation started with Peta Acheampong, half owner of the dynamic team that makes up the Dark Nubia Natural Brand. In each edition, the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper features a business in the community who is worthy of acknowledgment. Now, please; my business owners out there, do not be offended, because you are all worthy, but sometimes we hear these stories that really show the resilience of individuals during hard times. If you are an entrepreneur, you know that running a business is hard, and Peta and Maxwell Acheampong are not strangers to this struggle.

Their partnership is a rare yet beautiful one; Peta a resolute Jamaican woman, and Maxwell, an entrepreneurial-minded Ghanaian, ending up bonding because they are both healers at heart. Together they combined their extensive generational knowledge on how to use plants and fruits to create premium handmade body care products that are good for the body and the entire planet. Toronto Caribbean Newspaper would like to present, Dark Nubia Naturals.

The Nubian Genesis
The idea of creating handmade body care products was inspired by a need; Peta had experienced severe skin issues her entire life, and regardless of the products she used, nothing seemed to work. After going to endless doctors, and spending money on all types of skin creams – none, which helped – Maxwell suggested good old Ghanaian Black Soap to Peta as an option. Peta had never really heard of Black Soap, but she was willing to try anything because she was tired of dealing with her skin. So, she picked up a bar of Black Soap, which at that time was about $5.00 a bar, and she began to use it. She instantly noticed the results and began to think about how to introduce this to the Caribbean community. Many of us suffer from skin disorders like eczema, and dermatitis. Peta saw how well it worked for her, so when they had made a trip to Jamaica, she brought a few bars down to see how the community down there would receive Black Soap.

Leave it to Jamaicans to make their opinions known. They did not like it at all. Many responded by saying that they would not use a product that favor “Do-Do.” I had to laugh at this point in the interview because if you see raw Black Soap for the first time, this is exactly how it looks. Peta attempted to convince them of the natural benefits of Black Soap, but they were stuck on the appearance of it and they were not having it. Peta realized at that point, that the only way to share the benefits of this product was to find a way to present it to the Caribbean community in a way that was appealing.

When they returned to Canada, they went straight to work, devising a way to present Black Soap. There initial creative design was to present the soap in beautiful little gift boxes. After they had created their first batch, they began to sell them at the Weston Road Flea Market, and what do you know, their creative illusion worked. People from the Caribbean community began to flock towards the product, and it got to a point where they were doing so well that it was time to level up. After just seven months of selling these beautiful little soapboxes, they were about to take it to another level.

Each Level brings new Devils
They opened their store at 1540 Eglinton Avenue West, just short of eight months of selling their products at the Weston Road Flea Market. They moved in with confidence because they had seen the success at the flea market, and they were positive that this success would follow them. They were unfortunately sadly mistaken. For some reason, people did not seem interested in what they had to offer. It was surprising because as many of us know, Eglinton West is robust with Jamaican cultural stores and restaurants. Peta and Maxwell could not understand why this support that they had received just months before had dissipated. They were very unhappy and devastated that after only six months they had to close down their location. They decided that it was best they take a break and rethink their options with the business. During this time, they were also getting ready to welcome a beautiful, baby girl into the family, so although they wanted to continue, they knew that stopping at that point was the best option. Stopping did not mean it was over, it was just time to re-strategize.

From Darkness to Light
During their time on Eglinton, they had created some great relations with other storeowners, and when they were closing the 1540 location, the owner from TreaJah Isle came to them with a proposition. The owner suggested taking some of their products and selling them in the store. Peta and Maxwell thought it over and figured, “Why Not?” JACKPOT! For some reason, people seem to trust buying natural products from a Rasta, and the Dark Nubia Natural Brand was rejuvenated once again. They thought, “If we can collaborate with other businesses around the city, this could be a very lucrative idea,” and with that thought, within a year, the Dark Nubian Brand was launched in five other stores throughout the GTA.

With production back in full force, they now faced the issue of space again, which meant that they would have to find a way to open up a space to support their product load. They saved up for a year, and reopened Dark Nubian Naturals at 1181 Weston Rd. It is amazing to see the resilience, and energy this progressive pair has put into their business. The team at the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper salutes the both of you for all of your hard work.

You can become part of the movement by visiting www.darknubia.com.