Startup Story
Georgina de Kock is the founder, product developer and a director of Munch Innovation (Pty) Ltd in South Africa. She is a seasoned entrepreneur who has won many awards and she is a devoted business leader. Georgina was a financial advisor and owned a photographic, design and screen-printing business, Georgi 'D". She made a career change to follow her passion to something she believed in which is to help disrupt plastic waste to help save our environment making a difference that matters. Today, her business also employs 7 people, creating local green jobs.
LoA chatted to the innovation and impact-driven entrepreneur, Georgina de Kock, to learn more about her business and her mission to reduce plastic waste.
When did your start your business?
2012 Yummy Bowls CC, then registered Munch Bowls (Pty) Ltd in 2014, now Munch Innovation since 2019.
“Our company, Munch Innovation, is all about disrupting plastic pollution.”
What does your company do?
Our company, Munch Innovation, is all about disrupting plastic pollution. We produce wholesome edible crisp wheat bowls known as 'Munch Bowls' giving an alternative to single-use Plastic/Styrofoam bowls to help reduce plastic waste. Collectively we must stop plastic waste to save our planet, but there needs to be eco-friendly alternatives and that is our mission and intention to develop such products.
What inspired you to start your company?
Globally we are facing a plastic pollution crisis destroying our planet. My concern was for nature, the suffering of marine life and animals because of plastic waste. I was challenged to come up with an eco-friendly alternative for single-use plastic bowls to serve curry and rice in. I accepted the challenge and came up with the idea of an edible bowls. This challenge started my journey to be the change rather than a spectator and an emotional complainer. My vision is to help reduce plastic waste, making a positive impact on our environment.
“We produce wholesome edible crisp wheat bowls known as 'Munch Bowls' giving an alternative to single-use Plastic/Styrofoam bowls to help reduce plastic waste.”
Why should anyone use your service or product?
Munch Bowls are wholesome crisp wheat bowls. Our bowls are VEGAN and our ingredients are carefully chosen: Wheat flour - stoneground and unbleached; Digestive Bran - a source of fiber bolstering digestive health; No chemicals, preservatives or GMO products used; Rooibos infused and serving as a natural preservative. Munch Bowls can hold any food, even hot soup, for at least 3 hours. The 300ml bowl fits perfectly in the palm of your hand making it convenient for on-the-go meals served at events and convenient food outlets. The product is 100% edible adding value to food serving both the environment and consumer. Importantly, the bowls taste great and create zero plastic waste. There is no need for them to be recycled.
Tell us a little about your team
Georgina de Kock - Director, Founder and Product Developer
Vishal Deeplal - Director and Investor
Neeraj Mannie - Director
Dante Gous - Business Advisor
Paul Budhram - Accountant
Production Staff and QC
Distributors: Local and International
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
I was fortunate to have an entrepreneurial father who set an example of consistency, hard work, focus and integrity. The journey for me was, and is, challenging but with many awards that inspired me. WESGRO has sponsored me to participate in many international food expos. These exposures made me realize that there is a growing need globally to find eco-friendly alternative products to single-use plastics. Munch Bowls won the top innovation award out of 90 countries at SIAL China2014. During 2017, I was honored to be awarded a Global Innovator, one of 140 out of 11,000 applications by Live Expo2020 Dubai. We received a grant from them which we used to develop a ‘one of a kind’ prototype molding machine to upgrade our production. Unfortunately, Covid19 has caused financial damage to the hospitality industry but we are finding businesses are getting back on their feet. We are excited to know that many countries are banning single-use plastics and we are eager to be of service to them.
“Collectively we must stop plastic waste to save our planet, but there needs to be eco-friendly alternatives and that is our mission and intention to develop such products.”
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
We plan to expand our market locally and the internationally.
To upgrade our production capacity.
To develop a well-known quality brand globally.
To provide much needed sustainable job opportunities.
To develop more eco-friendly products to reduce even more single-use plastic waste.
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
The opportunity to grow as a person.
To be able to live my passion and vision.
I want to make a difference to the world that matters, finding a way to say thank you that I had the opportunity to be alive on this planet.
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
IT'S YOUR LIFE so live and express your passion and vision for your life.
Believe in yourself, be consistent, work hard and stay focused.
Surround yourself with positive encouraging people with positive energy and avoid the negative naysayers.
Contact or follow Munch Bowls
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | EMAIL georgina@munchinnovation.com
Why LoA loves it…
At a time when the world is grappling with the impact that plastic pollution has on our environment, we need all the innovative solutions we can get. That’s what is so exciting about Georgina de Kock’s business, Munch Innovation, it is disrupting current ways of thinking and giving consumers eco-friendly alternatives. Her Munch Bowls are brilliant, simple ways that we can all reduce our plastic waste and make environmentally conscious buying and cooking decisions at home. The world needs more innovators like Georgina to find solutions to the world’s environmental challenges. — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo, Lionesses of Africa