Marketing Guru to Food Trendsetter: Veliswa Mhlope
Tuesday, 27th August 2024
When the nationwide COVID-19 outbreak occurred, we were all scared and unsure how to respond. We had to acclimate to a new existence that we knew nothing about. Local, Veliswa Mhlope, happened to start her business during COVID-19. Given the unfortunate timing, she had no idea how quickly her food business would grow. She now exports her products all across the country. Veliswa specialises in homemade salad dressings and pesto’s, including chili and basil. She tells us more about her entrepreneurial journey.
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿?
My business is a locally owned condiment company based in Makana, formally known as Grahamstown, specialising in handcrafted basil pesto, chilli pesto, and salad dressing. Our products are made with love, using only the freshest ingredients, and contain no artificial colourants or preservatives. What started as a family project during the height of COVID-19 has grown into a business that supplies clients across South Africa, bringing homemade goodness to kitchens nationwide.
𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀.
Before venturing into the condiment business, I had a background in marketing and communications, with experience in various roles that allowed me to hone my skills in branding, content creation, and strategy development. I have always had a keen interest in cooking for my friends and family and during the pandemic, I found solace in the kitchen, experimenting with more homemade foods to nourish my family at a time when we couldn’t simply go out to the shops to get what we felt like having. This is when I realised that we needed condiments to enhance the meals we were making at home. This passion for creating delicious and healthy condiments organically grew into a business as I realised there was a demand for the kind of quality and authenticity our products offered.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗼𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀?
One of the main challenges I faced was that as we scaled up production, we needed to source larger quantities of quality ingredients, manage production from home, and reach a broader market. Additionally, balancing my time between family responsibilities and the demands of a growing business was difficult. However, these challenges pushed me to be more resourceful and adaptive.
Additionally, breaking into the market with a homemade product required building trust and establishing a brand presence in a crowded space. However, these challenges pushed me to be creative and resilient, and to focus on delivering a product that speaks for itself through its quality.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘂𝗺𝗽𝗵 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻?
My proudest moment was when my products first gained traction beyond our local community and started reaching customers across South Africa. Knowing that something I created in my kitchen was being enjoyed by people from all corners of the country was incredibly fulfilling. It validated my efforts and inspired me to continue growing the business. Each time I receive positive feedback from a customer, it reaffirms that I’m on the right path and that my hard work is paying off.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗱𝗼 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆?
Women bring a unique blend of empathy, creativity, and attention to detail to the hospitality industry. We often have a deep understanding of what makes people feel welcomed and cared for, which translates into exceptional customer experiences. Our ability to multitask and juggle various responsibilities also helps us manage the demands of this fast-paced industry with grace and efficiency.
In my business, this means paying close attention to the quality of ingredients, the care put into each batch, and the relationships built with clients. Women’s innate ability to connect emotionally with people helps create a sense of community and loyalty in the industry.
𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗺𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻'𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮?
Unfortunately, gender imbalances remain a challenge in South Africa, particularly in traditionally male-dominated sectors. Cultural norms and traditional gender roles can often limit women’s access to resources, networks, and opportunities necessary for entrepreneurial success. As a woman you have a double responsibility – ensuring the success of your business while also taking care of the well-being of your family. However, I believe that the landscape is slowly changing as more women challenge these barriers and succeed in their ventures, proving that women can lead and thrive in any industry.
𝗜𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻-𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀?
The hospitality industry has made significant strides in terms of women-owned businesses and women in leadership positions. However, there is still room for growth. While more women are leading as entrepreneurs and making an impact, there are still challenges related to access to capital, mentorship, and balancing work with personal responsibilities. Women-led businesses, particularly in hospitality, often succeed in terms of sustainability and job creation because of the holistic approach women bring to their enterprises.
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻-𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗮𝗻𝗮?
To encourage more sustainable women-owned enterprises in Makana, we need to create supportive networks and provide access to resources such as funding, mentorship, and training. Creating platforms where women can share their experiences, challenges, and successes will help foster a community of support. Additionally, promoting local businesses and encouraging collaboration among women entrepreneurs can lead to more sustainable and resilient businesses.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀?
My advice would be to start with something you are truly passionate about and believe in. Your passion will drive you through the challenges that come with entrepreneurship. Don’t be afraid to take risks and learn from your mistakes. Seek out mentors who can guide you, and always be willing to adapt and innovate. Most importantly, stay true to your values and the vision you have for your business. Stay true to your values and the quality of your product or service—your customers will appreciate it, and it will set you apart.
𝗥𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹-𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲?
I make it a priority to set boundaries between work and personal time. It’s essential to set boundaries and make time for self-care. I make it a point to step away from work regularly, whether it’s spending time with family and friends, engaging in a hobby, or simply enjoying a quiet moment to myself. It’s also important for me to stay connected with why I started the business in the first place—to bring joy.
