#fmcgwithheart

By Joseph Bassey Nsek

Every brand has a story. Some start in a garage. Others at a kitchen table. Ours? It began with a name—two names, actually. Simple, unassuming, and deeply personal.

Today, Amel Susan is printed on sachets of custard powder, cocoa mix, and corn flour that travel from Nigeria to shelves across West Africa and beyond. But many people ask: Where did the name come from? What does it mean?

It’s not a corporate acronym. It wasn’t generated by a branding agency. The name Amel Susan carries a quiet story of legacy, family, and the power of everyday resilience.

Let me tell you how it came to be.

Two Names, One Heart

“Amel” was the name of my late mother. Shortened from Amelia, she was a woman of strong will and even stronger values. She wasn’t wealthy or formally educated, but she had a sharp mind for business and a heart that believed in people—especially her children.

She ran a small provision store in Calabar. I remember watching her repackage sugar and custard into small nylon bags every morning before school. She’d sit at the wooden table, tying off each one carefully, using a candle to seal the ends. No machines. No measuring scales. Just experience.

It was from her that I learned the importance of quality. “Never cheat with food,” she used to say. “They’ll remember how it tasted, not how much you made.”

“Susan,” on the other hand, is the name of my wife. When I first started Amel International Services Limited, she was there—not just supporting from the sidelines but right there in the thick of things. Formulating recipes. Reviewing samples. Packing orders. Even driving deliveries when the driver didn’t show up.

The two women—my mother and my wife—shaped the soul of this business.

And when it came time to choose a name, nothing else made sense. Amel Susan. One for where I came from. One for where I’m going.

What a Name Can Carry

At first, some people said the name sounded “too soft.” That it might not stand out in the world of bold FMCG branding.

But we held on to it.

Because to us, the name wasn’t just a label—it was a promise. A reminder that this business was built on human values, not just spreadsheets. On small beginnings. On real people doing the hard, unglamorous work that sustains households and builds legacies.

And over time, our customers began to feel it too.

From Label to Legacy

We launched our first Amel Susan product—a banana-flavored custard—in a small corner of Lagos in 2014. It wasn’t perfect. The label design was basic, the packaging machine temperamental, and distribution was mostly done by word of mouth.

But the name struck a chord. People asked, “Is it a family business?” They assumed “Susan” was a real person (which she is). They asked if “Amel” meant something spiritual (which it does, in a way).

And slowly, that name became more than a personal tribute—it became a signal of trust.

Mothers began to ask for Amel Susan by name in open-air markets. Caterers swapped their regular custard for ours because of the flavor and consistency. Retailers knew that stocking Amel Susan meant fewer customer complaints and better repeat sales.

The name became shorthand for reliability.

The Name Travels

When we began exporting to neighboring countries—Ghana, Sierra Leone, Benin Republic—there was a brief temptation to rebrand. To tweak the name so it sounded more “universal.”

But again, we held firm.

And to our surprise, the name traveled well. It didn’t need translation. In fact, it felt personal. Human. Like someone you could trust.

I remember visiting a distributor in Accra who said, “My customers think Amel Susan is the woman who makes the custard in her kitchen.” We both laughed, but I understood what he meant. The name felt real. It wasn’t abstract. It had a heartbeat.

Why the Story Still Matters

As Amel International Services Limited continues to grow—expanding our line of baking ingredients, upgrading production systems, and reaching new markets—it’s easy to get caught up in the mechanics of business: inventory cycles, logistics, compliance.

But we’ve never lost sight of what grounds us.

This November, we’ll be attending the 2025 Go Global Awards in London, where Amel International Services Limited is a nominee. It’s an international gathering hosted by the International Trade Council—a place where some of the world’s most forward-thinking companies share ideas, forge partnerships, and redefine what it means to grow responsibly.

Being nominated is an honor—but also a reminder.

Because behind all the strategy and innovation is still that name: Amel Susan. And behind that name is a promise we made from day one—to put people first, to stay grounded in values, and to build something that would make both Amelia and Susan proud.

Final Thought: A Name Worth Building On

In today’s world, brand names are often tested in focus groups, optimized for search engines, and tailored for global appeal.

Ours wasn’t.

It was chosen with heart. Held onto with stubbornness. And nurtured with the belief that names don’t have to be flashy to matter—they just have to mean something.

So if you ever wondered where “Amel Susan” came from, now you know.

It came from a provision store in Calabar. From a woman with callused hands and a quiet strength. From a wife who said, “Try again” after the third failed custard formula. From family. From love.