Akwaaba
The Art of a Good Welcome
Know Your Guests. Welcome Them Well.
Akwaaba helps hotels, resorts, event venues and convention centers create better guest experiences through food, sourcing, service, staff training and thoughtful guest amenities.
Hospitality starts with knowing who walks in.
Akwaaba is a Ghanaian word for “welcome.”
The name reflects our belief that genuine hospitality is about more than opening the door. It is about understanding who your guests are, what they value, and what will make them feel considered and comfortable.
We turn that understanding into better experiences, stronger customer relationships and new business opportunities.
- Guest and hospitality assessments
- Food and culinary consultation
- Local and specialty food sourcing
- Cultural understanding and staff training
- Inclusive guest amenities
- Event and wedding hospitality strategy
- Partnerships and product solutions
The guests are here. Will they choose you?
Communities across Minnesota are looking for places to host weddings, conferences, graduations, family gatherings, cultural celebrations and corporate meetings.
Hotels and venues have the chance to become the places these customers actively choose. Akwaaba helps you align food, sourcing, service, staff knowledge and guest amenities with the people you want to attract and serve.
Better hospitality is good business.
Five steps from insight to welcome.
Assess
We review your property, your events business and the guests you serve or want to serve.
Source
We connect you with Minnesota farmers, specialty producers and global suppliers.
Taste
We develop and taste menus with your team, so the food is right before guests ever see it.
Understand
We share cultural context and guest insight through practical staff training.
Welcome
Food, service, amenities and events come together in an experience guests return to.
Ingredients with a story and a source.
From Minnesota fields to specialty pantries, we help you put better ingredients on the plate.
A better experience for every guest.
When guests feel understood, they stay longer, book again and tell others.
Inclusion is part of how we deliver excellent service. We help your team anticipate what different guests value, from the menu to the welcome at the front desk, so every guest feels considered and comfortable.
Small details guests remember.
Thoughtful products signal that a property has considered its guests.
We help hotels and venues select amenities that suit a wider range of guests, including Just Shea and other carefully chosen hospitality products with real producer connections behind them.
The people behind Akwaaba.
Chef Isaac Owens
Executive Chef, Kalahari Foods
Isaac is the creator of Kalahari’s menus, built on historic, delicious recipes. He has worked in food since childhood, learning from his mother, Martha, a village healer who used herbs, spices, dried fruits and vegetables to promote health and healing.
Rosemond Sarpong Owens
Marketing Manager, Kalahari Foods
Rosie is a writer, storyteller and strategist rooted in Akan art and culture. She helps hospitality teams understand their guests and turn that insight into better service and repeat business.
Rooted in Minnesota, connected to the world.
Our families come from Ghana, and we have lived on three continents. Today we work from Minnesota, and that shapes how we cook, source and host.
Sourcing from local farmers and producers keeps value in the community and food fresh on the plate. Our global connections bring specialty ingredients and products to your guests, with a clear story behind each one.
Organizations that host guests.
Let’s talk about your guests.
Tell us about your property or venue and we will be in touch to plan a consultation.
