Dr. Omo Ogbamola is a Nigerian-born Canadian entrepreneur, banking advisor, and the Founder and CEO of Tripplemos Food Processing Company, a food manufacturing brand producing premium-quality, authentic African spices locally in Canada.

Her products are currently available on Amazon Canada, Walmart Canada Marketplace, over 20 African retail stores, and multiple e-commerce platforms, with continued expansion into broader retail distribution.

With professional expertise spanning banking, agriculture, food safety, and systems integration, Dr. Ogbamola combines financial discipline with operational strategy to build scalable manufacturing systems. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Business Administration, focusing on strengthening sustainable growth structures within product-based businesses.

In February 2026, she was named Winner of the Women of Rubies Media Pitch Challenge, where her presentation stood out for its clear market positioning, operational depth, manufacturing scalability, and compelling vision for expanding African food products within mainstream North American retail markets.

Through Tripplemos Food Processing Company, Dr. Ogbamola is committed to preserving African culinary heritage, increasing representation for Black-owned brands in mainstream retail, and creating long-term economic impact through local manufacturing. In this interview she spoke on winning the Media Pitch Challenge, her business, the importance of media and other matters.

What inspired your transition from banking advisory to food manufacturing?

My transition was not a sudden shift, but a strategic evolution. Banking gave me deep insight into risk management, financial systems, and sustainable growth models. It allowed me to understand how businesses scale, how capital moves, and how long-term value is created within structured systems.

However, over time I felt a strong desire to build something tangible, a product-based business that could create representation, economic opportunity, and lasting impact. I wanted to move from advising businesses to building one myself.

Food manufacturing allowed me to merge commercial discipline with cultural impact. It created a space where I could apply my financial and operational knowledge while preserving something deeply meaningful African culinary heritage. For me, it was an opportunity to build, not just advise.

Why did you choose to manufacture African spices locally in Canada instead of importing?

I chose local manufacturing because control creates credibility. Importing products often limits oversight on freshness, regulatory compliance, and supply chain stability.

By producing locally under Canadian food safety standards, we ensure traceability, consistency, and regulatory excellence. It allows us to meet strict quality requirements while maintaining the authenticity of African flavors.

Local manufacturing also strengthens trust with retailers and consumers. It positions African food brands within mainstream retail conversations rather than limiting them to niche ethnic imports. My goal was always to demonstrate that African food products can meet global standards while maintaining cultural authenticity.

What systemic barriers have you faced as a Nigerian immigrant building a manufacturing brand?

Access and perception have been the most significant barriers. Regulated industries such as food manufacturing require credibility, capital, and strong compliance knowledge.

As an immigrant founder, I had to work deliberately to demonstrate structure, operational discipline, and long-term scalability. It required navigating regulatory systems, building trust with suppliers and retailers, and ensuring that the business met every compliance requirement expected within the industry.

There is also the challenge of perception. Many immigrant-led food brands are often initially viewed as small ethnic businesses rather than structured manufacturing companies. Part of my journey has been shifting that perception—moving from being seen as a niche brand to being recognized as a compliant food manufacturing company with national potential.

How did your academic pursuit in Systems Integration shape your business operations?

Systems Integration reinforced my belief that businesses must be built holistically. Every part of a business operations, finance, compliance, logistics, and marketing must align for sustainable growth.

Rather than scaling reactively, I focus on building systems that can handle expansion. That includes structured procurement processes, marketplace analytics, operational documentation, and regulatory frameworks that support long-term growth.

When systems are properly integrated, businesses can scale without losing efficiency or quality. Structure is not optional; it is foundational.

What made your pitch stand out at the Women of Rubies Media Pitch Challenge 2026?

Clarity and structure.

I did not pitch potential, I presented traction. I articulated not only what we are building, but how we are scaling across marketplaces, retail partnerships, and compliance frameworks.

I focused on demonstrating that Tripplemos is not simply an idea, but a structured and growing manufacturing brand with clear operational systems and measurable market traction.

The judges responded that operational depth paired with a clear vision for industry impact. It showed that the business is positioned for growth within both cultural and mainstream markets.

How important is media visibility in scaling immigrant-led businesses?

Media visibility accelerates credibility. For immigrant-led brands, validation shortens the distance between opportunity and access. When a business receives strategic media exposure, it creates recognition that helps open doors to retailers, partners, and collaborators.

Retail buyers, distributors, and investors often respond faster when visibility aligns with operational structure. Strategic media exposure positions businesses for conversations that might otherwise take years to access. In many ways, visibility becomes a bridge between potential and opportunity.

What does representation in major retail platforms like Walmart Canada mean for African brands?

It signals legitimacy and normalization. Representation in mainstream retail shifts African brands from cultural specialty products to nationally recognized consumer goods. It expands audience reach and redefines how African food products are perceived within the broader market.

Visibility on platforms like Walmart Canada validates quality, scalability, and market readiness. It demonstrates that African brands can meet the same standards expected of globally recognized food products.

Ultimately, it helps reshape the narrative around African food brands—from niche offerings to competitive mainstream products.

What advice would you give Nigerian women looking to build export-ready products?

Think about compliance before creativity. Many founders focus on the product first, but export readiness requires understanding international standards early. Packaging regulations, labeling requirements, shelf-life testing, and supply chain logistics must all be addressed before scaling.

Build for scale from day one, even if you start small. That means documenting processes, establishing quality standards, and designing systems that can support larger distribution in the future. And most importantly, document everything. Export readiness is built on structure, not enthusiasm.

How do you balance community advocacy with business expansion?

By integrating advocacy into the business model rather than treating it as a separate activity. Through Mobpackaging and mentorship initiatives, I equip women with practical knowledge around packaging, compliance, and product development while maintaining commercial discipline within Tripplemos.

Advocacy does not replace profitability, it complements it. When businesses are profitable and structured, they create the capacity to support others sustainably. Sustainable businesses create sustainable impact.

What is your 5-year vision for Tripplemos Food Processing Company?

In five years, I see Tripplemos as a nationally recognized food manufacturing brand with expanded retail presence across Canada and strategic entry into the U.S. market.

I envision a scaled processing facility, stronger private label partnerships, and a more structured ecosystem that supports immigrant food entrepreneurs entering the manufacturing space. Beyond business growth, the long-term goal is industry positioning, ensuring that African food brands are represented within mainstream retail systems while maintaining authenticity and cultural value.The goal is not just growth, but industry positioning.

What does winning the Women of Rubies Media Pitch Challenge mean for your business and your broader vision?

Winning the Women of Rubies Media Pitch Challenge is both a validation and a responsibility.

It validates the work we have already done in building a structured manufacturing brand and demonstrating that African food products can compete within mainstream retail systems. At the same time, it creates a responsibility to continue expanding the conversation around immigrant-led manufacturing and the global potential of African food brands.

For Tripplemos, the recognition strengthens our credibility and visibility at an important stage of growth. Media platforms and industry stakeholders often respond differently when a business has demonstrated both traction and strategic clarity.

More importantly, it reinforces the importance of positioning. Visibility is not just about exposure; it is about communicating the structure, systems, and vision behind a business. The challenge created that opportunity to present our story with clarity.

Ultimately, the win represents more than a moment of recognition. It is part of a broader journey to position African food manufacturing within global markets while creating pathways for other immigrant founders to build scalable businesses.