Jasminica is rewriting the rules of food supply in West Africa by providing flexible solutions where others hesitate.
ACCRA, GHANA – August 2025 — They didn’t come to Africa for comfort. They didn’t bring a camera crew. They didn’t have donor dollars cushioning every step. What Fan Yang and Janica Southwick walked into was a crisis most people turn away from: hunger on a scale so devastating that millions are slipping through the cracks every day.
This is West Africa’s rice crisis—worsened by climate shocks, inflation, broken supply chains, and a global food market spiraling out of control. In Nigeria alone, over 5.4 million children are expected to face acute malnutrition before the end of the year (Save the Children). In Mali, 2.6 million people are nearing starvation, many surviving on just one meal every two days (Reuters).
But this story isn’t about tragedy. It’s about what happens when two unlikely entrepreneurs trade band-aids for business models that actually work.
Born in Crisis, Built on Risk
Jasminica isn’t an NGO. It’s not aid. It’s not a glossy UN-funded project. It’s a privately-run, self-sustaining food supply company doing what most won’t: getting high-nutrient, high-quality rice, a core staple food in West Africa, directly into the hands of people who need it. Fast, affordably, and without bureaucracy.
And it’s run by two people who couldn’t be more different—and more perfect for the job.
Fan Yang, a best-selling bubble toy manufacturer and founder of Broadway’s Gazillion Bubble Show, came from Vietnam with an eye for color and human connection. He creates Jasminica’s packaging like he creates bubbles: to bring vibrancy into lives worn thin by hardship. But behind the creativity is serious business muscle: fluent in eight languages, Fan has built deep relationships with manufacturers, exporters, and suppliers across Asia and beyond. His vast network and sharp negotiation instincts have been key to Jasminica’s rapid rise, helping secure favorable trade terms and resilient supply chains in volatile markets.
When a scam syndicate in Ghana tried to derail the company by posing as customs officers and demanding extra payments, Fan was assaulted and kidnapped. He escaped through calm negotiation and a hidden phone. The following month, the Ghana police became one of their biggest rice customers—a testament to the tenacity it takes to turn risk into results.
Janica Southwick, former Chief Advisor to the President’s Office of logistics giant Japan’s Fukuyama Transporting, brings rare expertise to a male-dominated sector. Trilingual and detail-driven, she handles everything from documentation to deal flow, while also helping secure and move supply. With over 15 years as an NHK on-air talent, author with top publishing houses, and journalist, she shapes Jasminica’s brand with sharp storytelling and media instincts. A Utah-born, Japan-raised serial entrepreneur and single mom, Janica balances precision with creativity—cutting through noise, building trust, and helping Jasminica reach the right hands with lasting impact.
Where Others Back Down, They Double Down
According to the African Development Bank, rice demand in Africa is projected to hit 34.9 million metric tons in 2025, while local production struggles to meet even half of that due to poor soil conditions, droughts, and lack of technology (AfDB).
Rather than wait for large-scale donors or bureaucratic systems to react, Jasminica built a nimble alternative: direct shipments from Vietnam, on-the-ground distribution, and packaging that prioritizes dignity and trust. What began as a grassroots effort has scaled into a startup winning the attention of regional governments and global institutions.
This year alone, Jasminica has funded and delivered 750 metric tons of its signature Jasmine rice: 30 full shipping containers from Vietnam, with 3,000 more metric tons currently on the water, at port, or in process to ship. Demand is surging, and the need is urgent.
But with scale comes risk. The biggest challenge isn’t just delivering the rice: it’s making sure buyers and manufacturers don’t default and that every link of the logistics chain functions from ship to warehouse to table. In a region where infrastructure gaps, unstable governance, and currency fluctuation are daily realities, Jasminica is navigating it with flexibility and persistence.
When a bulk distributor in Ghana failed to pay for 250 metric tons, they didn’t fold. They pivoted—taking rice door to door, directly to families, shops, restaurants, funeral homes, distributors, and hotels across Accra. They recruited a local sales team, handed out samples, and got people to try the rice. Locals loved it. They bought it. That loss turned into a diverse customer base that now stabilizes the company against future payment failures.
A Business, Not a Charity
Jasminica’s model is lean, direct, and built for Africa’s realities. They cut out middlemen. They source directly and mainly from factories they’ve negotiated ownership or JV shares in. They reinvest into their supply chain—not into optics. There are no donors. No pity campaigns. No dependence.
They are already operational in Ghana, with active expansion discussions underway in neighboring countries such as Liberia, Mali, and Burkina Faso. And they’re not just supplying. They’re building retail. A portion of their new warehouse in Accra is being converted into a direct-to-consumer food market where families can buy high-quality rice at a fraction of market cost—finally closing the gap between affordability and nutrition.
“Until now, people in these regions had to compromise quality and nutrients for the sake of price,” says Southwick. “Not anymore.”
Solving the Payment Gap: Why Jasminica Moves When Others Stall
One of the greatest barriers to consistent food supply in West Africa isn’t always logistics—it’s liquidity. In much of the region, bulk food trade is either cash-and-carry or plagued by delayed payments, which chokes the flow of goods long before they ever hit a port.
Unlike emergency food suppliers who arrive when the crisis has already hit, Jasminica is building a preventative model. Instead of waiting for donor pledges or institutional contracts, they self-funded initial shipments. To scale, they have built trusted relationships with regional banking institutions in both Ghana and Vietnam to access short-term capital—a breakthrough that required complex paperwork, hundreds of documents, extensive proof of delivery, and demonstrating a solid client pool through paid invoices, contracts, and payment records. Meanwhile, Jasminica’s web and social media presence builds essential brand awareness and trust—both critical for attracting funding and securing large-scale contracts.
That means they can move fast, bridge payment delays, and ensure food arrives before desperation sets in, with targeted informational videos and campaigns to reach people directly.
“We know the payment structure in Africa is different,” Janica explains. “We don’t fight it. We work with it. That’s why we can deliver when others are still stuck negotiating.”
By managing the financial risk upfront, Jasminica is disrupting the default cycle of food insecurity: no more waiting for tragedy to strike before supply chains are activated. They’re already in motion.
Jasminica: Turning Crisis Into Clarity
With global prices soaring and local crops failing under climate stress, Jasminica is proving that a business model built on speed, trust, and grit can fill critical supply gaps—and serve as a powerful complement to the vital work of NGOs. Together, short-term relief and long-term resilience are possible.
“This isn’t about being brave,” says Fan. “It’s about being stubborn enough not to quit when it’s hard. Hunger doesn’t wait.”
“There’s no safety net here,” adds Janica. “We bet everything on this. And it’s working—because we don’t walk away when things break. We build something better.”
The Road Ahead: From Survival to Sovereignty
Jasminica isn’t a bandage. It’s a blueprint. With groundwork laid for storage expansion, local distribution, and reinvestment into local agricultural projects and women-led businesses, the company is creating long-term systems for stability.
From rice fields in Vietnam to home kitchens in Ouagadougou, Jasminica is proving that supply chains don’t have to be broken. They can be beautiful. Efficient. Human.
“We’re not the final answer to Africa’s food crisis,” says Fan Yang. “But we are proof that something different can work,” Janica Southwick adds. “Fast. Honest. Real.”
In a region that’s tired of waiting, Jasminica is moving. And it’s not for the faint of heart.
From left; Jano Yang, Fan Yang, and Janica Southwick. Visionaries Fan and Janica, known for pushing creative boundaries, are now stepping beyond the world of entertainment to deliver essential food supplies to communities across Africa.
ABOUT JASMINICA
Jasminica Ltd. is a fast-growing, privately held essential food supply company based in Ghana, solving rice and other essential food access challenges in West Africa through direct trade, flexibility in funding, rapid-response logistics, and last-mile distribution systems. Co-founded by Fan Yang and Janica Southwick, the company delivers rice and other staples from Vietnam to high-need regions in West Africa. Jasminica is also actively negotiating to source from countries known for their high agricultural standards—like Indonesia, Japan, and Serbia—building a model based on resilience, strong relationships, and local trust.
Press Contact:
Email: ja****@*******ca.com
Website: www.jasminica.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/jasminica.rice
Location: Accra, Ghana
