The event, held last Saturday at the Papaye Recreational Park at Konkunuru, near Aburi in the Eastern Region, was also used to honour other stakeholders, such as media organisations and corporate bodies that had supported the growth of the fast food giant over the years.

For their reward, the distinguished staff received prizes that included flat-screen televisions sets, deep freezers and unspecified amount of cash.

Workers’ contribution

The Executive Chairman of Papaye Fast Foods Limited, Mr Samir Kalmoni, said the company’s success had been achieved through the hard work, honesty and loyalty of its staff.

“I believe in the manpower of a company. The founder can be a genius, hardworking and very resourceful, but without a dedicated staff, the business will cease to grow. I salute the workers of this company,” he said.

The chairman also commended successive governments for implementing measures that promoted peace and stability in the country to enable businesses to thrive, adding, “peace and harmony promotes economic development”.

“We couldn’t have got to where we are had it not been for the contribution of other stakeholders. I would, therefore, like to thank the media for helping us to be at our current position,” he said.

Recounting how the company started, Mr Kalmoni explained that he got the idea of establishing a fast food chain in the country during a visit to Saudi Arabia. According to him, the idea has since transformed into a strong brand.

“We started with 12 employees 25 years ago but now we can boast of about 400 employees. We will continue to make the business much stronger in order to employ more people,” he stated.

Social responsibility

For his part, the Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr Divine Asiedu, said Papaye was the pacesetter in the fast food industry, despite its competitive nature in the country.

He described the company as a good corporate organisation which was committed to helping the vulnerable under its corporate social initiatives to impact positively on society.

“After 25 years of service, we will continue to live up to expectation despite the competition,” he said.

 Mr Samir Kalmoni, Executive Chairman and Founder of Papaye Fast Foods Limited, addressing participants in the ceremony