Food Services
"A small shop grew into a billion naira legacy."
In late 1981, Chari’s Onabowale, the Group Managing Director, transformed what began as a modest venture into the billion-naira enterprise now known as Mama Cass Restaurant Limited. Initially, she operated a small pastry stall at Blade Market in Allen, where she sold baked goods from a compact storage box to workers and fellow vendors while maintaining her full-time job.
Observing white-collar professionals pausing along the roadside to enjoy traditional meals from street vendors—often loosening their ties and slinging them over their shoulders—Chari’s identified an unmet demand for home-cooked food served in a clean, efficient setting. This insight laid the foundation for the Mama Cass brand, emphasizing speed, freshness, and a welcoming atmosphere.
By November 1983, the first official restaurant space was secured in Allen, which even featured live music in its early days. This inaugural outlet was launched as “Mama Cass Cafeteria,” marking the beginning of the brand’s evolution.
Today, Mama Cass Restaurant proudly operates multiple strategically located outlets across Lagos, Gun, Edo, Abuja, and the United Kingdom, maintaining the same commitment to quality and home-style cooking that defined its humble beginnings.
Expanding beyond its core restaurant business, the group has diversified into industrial canteen management, private event catering, and large-scale bread production, all while upholding the same standards of excellence that have defined Mama Cass since its inception.
