Startup Story
Rita Da Silva is the founder of Zhizha in Mozambique, an artisan ice cream business based on Italian techniques using the best local ingredients. Rita uses classic Italian ice cream processes to achieve the texture and flavor without having to resort to artificial stabilizers and emulsifiers. Each flavor is produced by Zhizha with a specially developed recipe. Rita looks for the best local solutions and believes that it’s part of her mission to contribute to the growth of other businesses, namely small agricultural producers. Zhizha wants to revolutionize the idea of ice cream in Mozambique.
LoA chatted to the talented Rita Da Silva about her unique business, her passion, and her vision for the future.
What does your company do?
Zhizha makes artisan ice cream based on Italian techniques using the best national ingredients. Zhizha ice creams have a unique and smooth texture, with an intense and natural flavour, we do not use synthetic aromas, colourings, or ready-to-use mixtures. We use classic Italian ice cream processes to achieve the texture and flavour without having to resort to artificial stabilizers and emulsifiers. Each flavor is produced by Zhizha with a specially developed recipe. We never use pre-made bases or artificial flavor pastes. We are as obsessed with the quality of ice cream as we are with the origins of the ingredients, and that is why we value our national fruits by transforming them into unique artisanal ice creams. We look for the best local solutions and we believe that it is part of our mission to contribute to the growth of other businesses, namely small agricultural producers. Zhizha wants to revolutionize the idea of ice cream in Mozambique: fresh, seasonal and our raw materials, only natural thickeners, no ready-made bases and varieties for vegans and celiacs.
A zhizha faz sorvetes artesanais com base nas técnicas italianas usando os melhores ingredientes nacionais. Os sorvetes zhizha têm uma textura única e suave, com sabor intenso e natural, não utilizamos aromas sintéticos, corantes, ou misturas prontas-a-usar. Usamos processos clássicos da gelataria italiana para conseguir a textura e esse sabor sem precisarmos de recorrer a estabilizantes e emulsionantes artificiais. Cada sabor é produzido pela zhizha com uma receita especialmente desenvolvida para o efeito. Nunca usamos bases préfabricadas ou pastas de sabor artificiais. Estamos tão obcecados com a qualidade do sorvetes como com as origens dos ingredientes e por isso valorizamos as nossas frutas nacionais transformando-as em sorvetes artesanais unicos. Procuramos as melhores soluções locais e acreditamos que é parte da nossa missão contribuir para o crescimento do outros negócios nomeadamente pequenos produtores agricolas. A zhizha quer revolucionar a ideia de sorvete em Moçambique: matérias-primas frescas, sazonais e nossas, apenas espessantes naturais, sem bases prontas e variedades para veganos e celíacos.
“Zhizha wants to revolutionize the idea of ice cream in Mozambique.”
“We are as obsessed with the quality of ice cream as we are with the origins of the ingredients, and that is why we value our national fruits by transforming them into unique artisanal ice creams.”
What inspired you to start your company?
The ice cream dream existed a long time ago. When I had my first child I thought a lot about how I liked to present the world to him. Above all, I wanted him to know that the world is a safe place to take risks and dream. That was the impulse to take the idea out of the drawer to make me invest in going to Italy to learn everything I needed from the source to follow my dream, reminding myself that yes - the world is a safe place to take chances.
O sonho dos sorvetes existia há muito tempo. Quando tive o meu primeiro filho pensei muito sobre como lhe gostava de apresentar o mundo. Queria acima de tudo que ele soubesse que o mundo é um lugar seguro para arriscar para sonhar. Esse foi o impulso para tirar a ideia da gaveta para me fazer investir ir até Itália aprender na fonte tudo o que precisava para seguir com o meu sonho relembrando me a mim mesmo que sim. O mundo é um lugar seguro para arriscar.
Why should anyone use your service or product?
Zhizha wants to remind you that the world is sweet. It's complex. It's diverse. It is full of surprises and this is part of everything we do and the way we do it. We are dedicated to handcrafting ice cream with the best natural and national ingredients. We pamper each ice cream produced and ensure attention to detail, quality and customer experience and all those with whom we relate. We take care of the world, always looking for local and sustainable solutions. We use recycled and/or compostable packaging and we organize our waste to ensure that it is forwarded and reused in the best possible way. We value locally produced ingredients and respect their seasonality. We try to integrate in our recipes the fruits so often forgotten to remind us that what is ours is naturally good. We produce our ice cream with the most authentic ingredients and in its raw and most natural form - everything is made from scratch. "Ready-to-make" ingredients, including colourings, flavours, preservatives and pastes, have no place in the Zhizha.
A zhizha quer relembrar que o mundo é doce. É complexo. É diverso. E cheio de surpresas e isso faz parte de tudo o que fazemos e da forma como fazemos.Dedicamo-nos a produzir sorvetes artesanalmente com os melhores ingredientes naturais e nacionais. Mimamos cada sorvete produzido e asseguramos atenção aos detalhes, à qualidade e à experiência do cliente e de todos aqueles com quem nos relacionamos.Cuidamos do mundo procurando sempre soluções locais e sustentáveis. Usamos embalagens recicladas e/ou compostáveis e organizamos os nossos desperdicios para garantir que são encaminhados e reaproveitados da melhor forma possivel.Valorizamos ingredientes produzidos localmente e respeitamos a sua sazonalidade. Procuramos integrar nas nossas receitas os frutos tantas vezes esquecidos para relembrar que o que é nosso é naturalmente bom.Produzimos o nosso sorvete com os ingredientes mais autênticos e na sua forma crua e mais natural - tudo é feito de raiz. Os ingredientes "prontos a fazer", incluindo corantes, aromatizantes, conservantes e pastas, não têm lugar na zhizha.
“We look for the best local solutions and we believe that it is part of our mission to contribute to the growth of other businesses, namely small agricultural producers.”
Tell us a little about your team
At the moment we are a small team of 3 women and we really want to continue to grow and spread the magic of Zhizha, not only through ice cream and sweets but also by creating more jobs and opportunities.
Neste momento somos uma pequena equipa de 3 mulheres e queremos muito continuar a crescer e a espalhar a magia da zhizha não são através dos sorvetes e doçura mas também criando mais emprego e oportunidades.
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
Zhizha started in the midst of COVID. At a time when we could access what was around us, we used recycled yogurt containers. When it was finished, the community brought us more and more. We went through many challenges. We sold by order and little did we know about the way forward and how to better structure our business. Today we sell in 3 supermarkets in the area and we are constantly improving and reflecting on the next steps. One of the things that was decisive along the way was trying to improve my skills as an entrepreneur and for that, IdeiaLab and its Femtech program played a very important role that I am reaping results to this day.
A zhizha começou no meio do COVID. Numa altura que conseguíamos aceder aquilo que estava ao nosso redor. Usávamos embalagens de yogurte recicladas. Quando estás terminaram a comunidade trazia nos mais e mais. Passamos por muitos desafios. Vendíamos por encomenda e pouco sabiamos sobre o caminho a seguir e como estruturar melhor o nosso negócio. Hoje vendemos em 3 supermercados da zona e estamos constantemente a melhorar e a reflectir sobre os próximos passos. Uma das coisas que foi determinante no percurso foi procurar melhorar os meus skills como empreendedora e para isso a ideiaLab e o seu programa femtech teve um papel muito importante que até hoje estou a colher frutos.
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
The next dream is to reach other markets. At the moment we are focused on Maputo. We have already realized that our product is valued and loved and that there is room for us in the market there. We are structuring and looking for solutions for the investment we need to reach that market.
O próximo sonho é alcançar outros mercados. Neste momento estamos focadas em Maputo. Já percebemos que o nosso produto é valorizado e querido e que tem espaço para nos no mercado lá. Estamos a estruturar e a procurar soluções para o investimento que precisamos para chegar a esse mercado.
“We really want to continue to grow and spread the magic of Zhizha, not only through ice cream and sweets but also by creating more jobs and opportunities.”
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
The challenges. Constant learning. The way being an entrepreneur allows me to dream and create.
Os desafios. A aprendizagem constante. A forma como ser empreendedora me permite sonhar e criar.
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
Take chances. Begin. Don't wait to have all the answers and all the solutions. Go with what you have and you will find that you have a lot.
Arrisquem. Comecem. Não fiquem á espera de ter todas as respostas e todas as soluções. Vão com o que têm e vão descobrir que o têm é muito.
Contact or follow
WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | EMAIL ritalopesdasilva@hotmail.com
Why LoA loves it….
It is always exciting to see a new woman-owned artisanal brand launched into the market, and particularly one that has the potential to excite consumers and revolutionize existing product buying trends. In the world of artisanal ice-cream, Rita Da Silva’s fabulous Zhizha brand is doing just that. She is tapping into a growing consumer awareness of and love for ice cream that celebrates local flavour combinations and natural ingredients. This is a brand we are tipping for growth in 2023 and we look forward to seeing consumers falling in love with world-class artisanal ice cream from Mozambique over the months to come. — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo, Lionesses of Africa