Mavis Nduchwa, a Botswana honey aggregator transforming communities

April 18, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Mavis Nduchwa, Founder and CEO, Kalahari Honey (Botswana)

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Kalahari Honey, changing the world sustainably, one bee at a time

Mavis Nduchwa is the Founder and CEO of Kalahari Honey, a honey aggregator from Botswana whose mission is to build sustainable communities using bees. Founded in 2015 the company uses beekeeping as a tool to mitigate human and wildlife conflict by training and supplying rural farmers with beehives. Kalahari Honey creates jobs for more than 500 families and counting. Mavis is a former BBC Food Chain 2019 Judge, UN SDG We Empower Awardee 2020, and a 2020 African Business Hero.

Femi Oyedipe, Nigeria’s sustainable bean-to-bar chocolate producer

April 11, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Femi Oyedipe, CEO & Co-Founder, Loshes Chocolate (Nigeria)

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Loshes Chocolate, adding economic value by processing raw cocoa into luxury products

Femi Oyedipe is the CEO & Co-Founder of Loshes Chocolate in Nigeria, a company birthed in 2015. With a diversified wealth of experience in Biochemistry, Human Resources, Client Relations and Business Management, Femi owns the expertise to successfully manage day-to-day business operations and the organization’s key asset; employees and clients. Having lived and worked in different parts of the world, she has honed the craft for design and aesthetic management and understands what excellent customer service delivery entails.

Kátia Agy, a Mozambican entrepreneur creating edible bouquets for every celebration

February 28, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Kátia Agy, founder of The Food Lounge Mz (Mozambique)

Startup Story

Kátia Agy, known as a singer and TV presenter, is also the founder of Food Lounge Mz. The business is focused on making edible bouquets using fresh fruits and chocolates. For the past 7 years, this business has been the main source of income for Kátia, and now also her three employees. Creating a new business concept to present to people in their daily lives has been a constant challenge, but creativity and focus have been winners in such a competitive market! The Food Lounge Mz now has its sights on growth and becoming the largest chocolate maker in Mozambique.

Michelle Adelman, a sustainable technology-led agriculture and food security champion

February 28, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Accite Holdings, delivering environmentally and socially responsible food security models to Africa

Accite Holdings LLC is a boutique business development and mission-driven investment firm focused on technology-led agriculture and food security projects in growth markets, particularly Sub-Saharan Africa. Accite’s investment philosophy brings together proven technologies with a world-class team and localized business models to create pioneering businesses. For the past nine years, Accite has focused on developing socially responsible agriculture and food businesses including fresh produce and plant-based protein. Accite has operations in Botswana, South Africa, Mauritius and Kenya and continuing to grow into east and west Africa. By deploying technology and products that protect the environment and building businesses with local youth leaders at the forefront, Accite’s approach is anchored to 11 of the 17 Millennium Sustainable Development Goals.

Ashley das Rosas Massingue, a Mozambican entrepreneur turning a passion for cashews into a business

February 13, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Ashley das Rosas Massingue, founder of Shez Snacks Comércio & Serviços, E.I (Mozambique)

Startup Story

Consumers’ love for snacks, in particular for healthy nuts, means a growing market and one that entrepreneur Ashley das Rosas Massingue, founder of Shez Snacks Comércio & Serviços, E.I in Mozambique, is keen to capitalize on. Her new business is packing appetizing flavours into a range of snack cashew nuts which are winning over fans of these tasty treats.

Aasiyah Ravate, a Mozambican entrepreneur turning her passion for cooking into a business

January 17, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Aasiyah Ravate, founder of Home Cooking With Love (Mozambique)

Startup Story

For many people, cooking is an expression of love, and for entrepreneur Aasiyah Ravate, founder of Home Cooking With Love in Mozambique, that is certainly the case. Every day, she prepares delicious meals and snacks for her customers that are both delicious and convenient.

Jane Bisset, a South African food entrepreneur passionate about business as a force for good

January 17, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Jane Bisset, founder of We are Food (South Africa)

Startup Story

A passion for cooking on the part of Jane Bisset collided with a demand for high quality convenience meals and a desire to create impact. All of this led to the creation of We are Food, a frozen meal production wholesale and retail business launched in South Africa.

Monica Musonda, Zambia’s nutritious food manufacturing visionary

January 17, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Java Foods, a food-processing market leader in affordable nutrition

Corporate Lawyer turned entrepreneur, Monica Musonda is the Founder of Java Foods, a Zambian based food-processing company that provides affordable nutrition to the Southern African market. Monica currently serves as non-executive director on a number of boards including Airtel Networks Zambia Plc & Zambia Breweries (where she is chair). She is the recipient of the 2017 African Agribusiness Entrepreneur of the Year award, a 2013 Young Global Leader (World Economic Forum) and Archbishop Desmond Tutu Leadership Fellow. Forbes Magazine and Africa Investor named her as one of the leading Young Power Women in Business in Africa in 2013 and 2014 respectively.

Tasneem Ebrahim Latib, a South African agri-processor with a taste for chillies

January 17, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Tasneem Ebrahim Latib, founder of Chill-e Organics (South Africa)

Impact Partner Content - Absa

Chilli relishes and sauces have long been a favourite with food lovers, and no more so than in South Africa where they often the accompaniment of choice at mealtimes. For entrepreneur Tasneem Ebrahim Latib, founder of Chill-e Organics, this love of the chilli presented an exciting business opportunity. Today, her brand and much loved range of chilli sauces, chutneys and mayos are exciting palettes around the country.

Siwela Sweetness Masoga, a South African wine producer creating quality accessible wines

January 3, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Siwela Wines, a new generation, trail-blazing female black-owned wine business.

Siwela Sweetness Masoga is a biotechnologist, wine maker, and founder of Siwela Wines, a South African wine company focusing on the production of quality accessible wines. Siwela also runs a wine academy focusing on education and training within the wine and hospitality industry. Siwela Wines is currently amongst the few youth female black-owned wine businesses in South Africa and was launched in 2018.

Lucia Molefe, a South African entrepreneur baking her way to success

December 27, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Lucia Molefe, founder of Mokgalaka Creations (South Africa)

Impact Partner Content - Absa

Lucia Molefe is the founder of Mokgalaka Creations. She was always good with her hands and had a passion for making cakes and cooking, as she would make the occasional cake and platter for friends and family. In 2006, Lucia embraced this skillset and registered Mokgalaka Creations as a business. Immediately, she began taking cake designing and decoration classes after working hours to sharpen her God-given talent. During this time, she began growing her home-based business part-time. In 2008, Mokgalaka Creations had begun taking off. It was in this year that she resigned after 15 years of service with the Department of Social Development to focus full-time on her passion and her business.

Sibongile Mtsabe, a South African agriprocessor tackling the country’s nutritional needs

December 6, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Sibongile Mtsabe, founder of Sibocali Traders (South Africa)

Startup Story

Getting access to good, affordable and nutritious food that can also help in addressing obesity, diabetes and malnutrition is a challenge for many communities in South Africa. For entrepreneur Sibongile Mtsabe, founder of Sibocali Traders, that challenge provided the inspiration for the launch of her agriprocessing business.

Lioness Launch / South Africa’s mi butter launches its new range of blended butters for time conscious cooks

November 22, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Vhongani Shumba, founder of mi butter (South Africa)

Lioness Launch

Every professional and home chef knows what a difference butter, herbs, spices and seasonings can make to the preparation of any delicious meal. But buying and preparing all those individual ingredients can be expensive and time consuming. In South Africa, entrepreneur and food lover, Vhongani Shumba, founder of mi butter, has the solution for all home cooks. She has launched her new range of flavoured, blended butters, ready to add new taste sensations to the preparation of any meal.

Eswatini’s Black Mamba Foods announces R9.2 million investment in the business by Enygma Ventures

November 22, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Claudia Castellanos, co-founder of Black Mamba Foods (Eswatini)

Investment Feature

Enygma Ventures has just announced that Black Mamba Foods, the ethical producer of specialty foods (best known for its chilli sauces) based in Eswatini, and co-founded by entrepreneur Claudia Castellanos, has become the fund's latest pioneering investment.

Karunas Reddy, a natural food brand builder creating wheat and gluten free foods

November 22, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Karunas Reddy, ceo of Nonna’s Foods (South Africa)

Startup Story

For all those with a wheat or gluten intolerance in South Africa and looking for healthy, natural products such as plant based pastas and baking mixes, help is at hand from Nonna’s Foods. Entrepreneur Karunas Reddy is on a mission to offer her customers the widest range of delicious and healthy gluten and wheat free products that are tasty, healthy and importantly safe to eat.

Thuladu Mngadi, a passionate South African foodpreneur creating first-class catering experiences

November 8, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Thuladu Mngadi, founder of Fresh Food Daily (South Africa)

Startup Story

To ensure your corporate or private function is memorable for your guests, great catering is essential. After all, people may forget the speeches but they will always remember the food. In South Africa, that’s where Fresh Food Daily comes in. Founder Thuladu Mngadi, has a passion for creating great African cuisine, all delivered with a touch of flair.

Nonhlanhla Ditshego, a South African entrepreneur building an exciting craft gin brand

November 1, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Nonhlanhla Ditshego, co-founder of Vuttomi Liquids (South Africa)

Startup Story

The craft gin market has exploded globally over the past few years with some interesting independent brands emerging, particularly in South Africa. One of those brands is Vuttomi Liquids, co-founded by Nonhlanhla Ditshego and her family, and they have big hopes and ambitions for the future.

Boikano Sikwane, a South African entrepreneur turning a family chilli recipe into a growing business

November 1, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Boikano Sikwane, co-founder of Chuck Chilli Foods (South Africa)

Startup Story

South Africans love their condiments, especially those that have a chilli kick to them. So for all those consumers who are constantly in search of a new chilli taste sensation, look no further than Chuck Chilli, an exciting brand of chilli condiments from Chuck Chilli Foods, co-founded by Boikano Sikwane.

Infinite Foods wins Best Plant-Based Business at the World Plant-Based Food Awards

October 17, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Award Winner

Infinite Foods, Africa’s premier go-to-market platform for leading plant-based food brands, cofounded by entrepreneur Michelle Adelman, was awarded the “Best Plant-Based Business” Award at the FoodBev Media World Plant-Based Awards in association with Plant Based World on 2 October 2020. This award comes on the eve of Infinite Foods’ second anniversary and continued growth with several new international and local brands joining the portfolio. As the only African business to be included in the awards, this is an incredible recognition of the growth of the plant-based industry on the continent.

Maeshibe Marema, a South African entrepreneur creating social impact through coffee

October 16, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Maeshibe Marema, founder of Maeshibe Coffee (South Africa)

Startup Story

Coffee lovers in South Africa can now enjoy their favourite brew whilst making a difference to the lives of young deaf people, thanks to Maeshibe Coffee, founded by entrepreneur Maeshibe Marema.

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