Bringing Bold Flavors of West Africa to Northern California

Charity and her husband, Kobina Abban-Saah, are the owners of Amazing Alheri, sharing bold, authentic flavors of West Africa. Through their African cuisine, they are bringing vibrant cultural tastes to underserved markets in Northern California and beyond.

When Charity moved to Redding, California, a rural community with limited cultural diversity and food options, she deeply missed the rich flavors of her heritage. Inspired by memories of her mother’s cooking, she began creating drinks and dishes to share with friends. What started as a way to reconnect with her roots quickly grew into a mission to share West African cuisine with a wider audience.

Charity’s journey with Amazing Alheri took a big step forward when she joined the Food Venture Boot Camp Cohort, a program supported by Siskiyou Farm Co and the Shasta-Cascade SBDC. Participants from Shasta, Trinity, and Siskiyou counties that ranged from caterers, food truck owners, artisan producers, and packaged food makers came together for 13 weeks of intensive training. The cohort covered everything from building value-driven business models and branding to sustainable production, recipe innovation, food safety, marketing, and sales. Participants also worked closely with SBDC advisors to put their learnings into action. The program wrapped up with a practice pitch competition, preparing entrepreneurs to present their businesses to future funders.

During the program, Charity sharpened her vision for Grab & Go Meals. Creating a menu of authentic West African chef-prepared meals. These are small-batch selection of fully cooked dishes and drinks. After gaining experience at farmers markets, pop-ups, and catering events, she successfully expanded into retail. Today, Amazing Alheri meals can be found in two local stores and are also available on DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub.

We had the privilege of interviewing Charity about her growing business and how Siskiyou Farm Co and the SBDC have supported her along the way. Her passion, creativity, and dedication are inspiring not only to other food entrepreneurs but also to the community that now has access to authentic West African flavors.

You can find Amazing Alheri meals at: