Many actors operate freely in the sector, offering a wide range of services at negotiable rates. Food has proven to be an integral part of man’s life as the body constantly needs nourishment. In Cameroon, like elsewhere, man’s life revolves around festivities such as marriage, birthday, death celebrations, seminars, and the list is long. Here, service providers; call them caterers, most of who are restaurant owners, offer a diversity of services depending on the taste of event organisers.

In Cameroon, catering services are often on a per-person basis, meaning there is a flat rate for each additional person. One of these actors is Flavours Restaurant, Opposite Mairie Tsinga in Yaounde. It offers both in and out-doors services during meetings, marriages, birthday parties, company events, weddings and also to private homes. According to its owner, Stella Mbuh Nah, Cameroonian and continental dishes are always on the menu. The content of the dish is determined by the event organiser but this after the caterer proposes her menu and the pricing is in function of the selected menu. For marriages or birthdays, Flavours proposes first, second and third courses, at FCFA 5,000 per person. Lunch during seminars comprising lunch break and lunch at FCFA 6,000 to 8,000 per person. Given that it is a business like others, the bargaining power of the customer and others can either scale the price up or down.

Sainte Bois Anastasie, like Flavours, offers in and out-doors services. But unlike the latter that offers only food, the former offers complete services: food, drinks and decoration. Their prices and set up differ from one event to the other. The prices, according to the Director, Marie Therese Atedzoe Owona, are in function with seasons. But some of their customers have price lists already approved by their structures which are simply adjusted when they come calling. For their buffet, the price is about FCFA 10,000 per person, FCFA 2,500 for drinks (natural juice, beer, liquor of less than five years) and FCFA 3,500 if liquor of 12 years old and more is to be included. But the brand of drink matters. While it gives out wine at FCFA 2,500 and champagne at FCFA 5,000. For decoration, Ste. Bois Anastasie charges FCFA 300,000. In their routine sales, buffet cost FCFA 5,000 from Mondays to Saturdays and FCFA 6,500 on Sundays.

All of them declined disclosing their profit margins but affirmed that if they are on, it means both ends are meeting. The size of the take-off capital, they agree, depends on the services and the desired business size. With the unregulated nature of the sector, actors say each person decides what to do, where are how to do it with the business aim of attracting as many customers as possible, minimising cost and maximising profits.