the pride of Africa's women entrepreneurs
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.
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Michelle Adelman
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.
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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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Lucy Beard, co-founder of Hope Distillery (South Africa)
Startup Story
The growing interest in small batch gins and other spirits that have great brand stories and individual personalities, has created a great growth story for South Africa’s Hope Distillery, co-founded by husband and wife team Lucy Beard and Leigh Lisk. The Hope brand is distinctive, modern and committed to quality, and is winning fans around the world, as are the spirits they design and distill for other popular boutique brands.
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Lioness Weekender Cover Story
Meet Inverroche, a luxury gin brand celebrating the Cape’s unique botanicals.
Lorna Scott is the CEO and founder of Inverroche Distillery in South Africa. Lorna has had many roles in her career, she once was an air hostess, then became the marketing and sales manager of a food service corporation, later to become the operations director of the same company. Lorna then changed her career path by becoming the deputy mayor of the Hessequa municipality which covers the region of Still Bay. Although her background was marketing, during her time as Deputy Mayor Lorna became involved in sustainable development. One of her main objectives was to develop the region as a tourist destination and create employment amongst the local community.
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Sector In Focus | Food & Drink
There is a real buzz in consumer markets about niche food and drinks brands that celebrate the provenance of where products are made, celebrating local ingredients and craftsmanship. At Lionesses of Africa, we shine a spotlight on 30 leading women entrepreneurs in Africa who are capturing consumer imagination and making a real impact, through their businesses, their innovation, their products and craftsmanship, and their passion for what they do.
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Dana Mroueh, founder of MonChoco (Côte d’Ivoire)
Lioness Weekender Cover Story
Meet MonChoco, a proudly Ivorian chocolate brand, reflecting the country’s exceptional terroir.
Côte d’Ivoire is renowned for the quality of its cocoa beans, but up until now, the world has not had the opportunity to widely celebrate those beans in the finest of chocolate forms. But that is rapidly changing as artisan chocolatier Dana Mroueh and her company, MonChoco, are producing a very special raw chocolate brand and range of products that is exciting taste buds in the country.
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Michelle Adelman, founder of Accite Holdings (Botswana)
Michelle Adelman, founder of Accite Holdings (Botswana)
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Sinenhlanhla Ndlela, founder of YoCoco (South Africa)
Lioness Weekender Cover Story
Sinenhlanhla Ndlela, a South African entrepreneur on a mission to make delicious artisanal dairy free ice cream.
For all those people out there who love the idea of gorgeous ice cream, but cannot eat dairy produce, help is at hand. YoCoco, an exciting artisanal dairy free ice cream brand created by the talented Sinenhlanhla Ndlela, is tantalizing tastebuds in South Africa with fabulous flavour combinations and taste sensations.
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Mbali Masike
Lioness Launch
Behind every great wine is a great story, and that is certainly the case with the exciting South African wines being created by Ngiyi Mbali Wines. Founder Mbali Masike brings her own personality and taste profiles into each individual wine she creates, sharing personal family stories and creating unique memories for her customers. This month sees the launch of the new iDlozi Collection of wines, inspired by three strong women members of Mbali’s own family.
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Samantha Skyring, founder of Oryx Desert Salt (South Africa)
Lioness Weekender Cover Story
Oryx Desert Salt, bringing a taste of the Kalahari to the world’s kitchens
With the world looking to source more sustainable, ethically produced and renewable sources of foodstuffs, one South African business venture, Oryx Desert Salt, founded by entrepreneur Samantha Skyring, is looking to bring an exceptional source of salt to enrich both the flavour of food and also promote good health.
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Siwela Sweetness Masoga, founder of Siwela Wines (South Africa)
Lioness Launch
There is an exciting new South African wine, a Chenin Blanc, about to tempt the palettes of discerning consumers, produced by Siwela Wines, one of the few youth female black owned wine businesses in South Africa. Founded by Siwela Sweetness Masoga, Siwela Wines is a wine company focusing on the production of quality accessible wines. Siwela also runs a wine academy focusing on education and training within wine and hospitality.
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Kimberley and Priscilla Addison, founders of ’57 Chocolate (Ghana)
Lioness Weekender Cover Story
Meet the founders of ’57 Chocolate, Ghana’s luxury chocolate brand
Africa needs women entrepreneurs who really understand the power of the entrepreneurial value chain in their countries, and in Ghana a great example can be found in Kimberley and Priscilla Addison, founders of ’57 Chocolate. The company’s philosophy is based on a bean-to-bar approach to manufacture and distribution, adding value to everyone along the value chain, from cocoa bean grower to consumer. ‘57 Chocolate is a world-class brand that believes in not merely trading the country’s natural resources in their “natural” state, but instead using creativity to transform these resources by developing made in Ghana products of premium value. Lionesses of Africa spoke to these pioneering sisters this month to find out more.
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Sinenhlanhla Ndlela, founder of Yococo (South Africa)
Lioness Launch
This month, lovers of great vegan artisanal ice cream in Gauteng, South Africa, will be able to enjoy their favourite treats by shopping online from Yococo. This passion driven business, founded by entrepreneur Sinenhlanhla Ndlela, is serving up love in scoops to her devoted customers, and now they will be able to buy their favourite flavours online.
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Lioness Weekender Cover Story
Many entrepreneurs are inspired by travel and unique experiences from other parts of the world. For South African entrepreneur Sarah Kennan, her inspiration came from her travels to Mexico and her experience of agave spirit production. She returned home on a mission to turn her new found passion and knowledge of turning locally grown agave into a unique product that the would would love - and so her brand Leonista was born.
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Jess Henrich, founder of A Mari Ocean Gin (South Africa)
Startup Story
Taking a sustainable approach to business is a key in today’s changing world. For entrepreneur Jess Henrich, founder of A Mari Ocean Gin, sustainability was a key ingredient in her business.
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Lioness Weekender Cover Story
In Johannesburg, South Africa, true chocolate lovers who are constantly on the search for the purest of taste sensations and the highest quality ingredients, know there is one destination to choose for their chocolate fix. Chocoloza, the brainchild of entrepreneur and passionate chocolatier, Vicki Bain, combines the best Belgian chocolate with the finest local, fresh African ingredients. The result is a taste sensation unlike anything else you will taste in the chocolate world.
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Flora Mutahi is the founder of Melvin Marsh International, the Kenyan-based family business that first began in 1995. Kenya’s first flavored teas were launched under the company’s renowned brand – Melvins Teas. Today, Melvins Teas serves millions of cups of tea a year. The product base has expanded to include not only flavored teas but herbal and fruit infusions.
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Modupe Sanders, founder of Mo Consult (Nigeria)
Startup Story
The restaurant business is an exciting one to enter for any passionate foodie entrepreneur, but it is also potentially one of the most challenging. Getting access to expert advice in starting up a successful new restaurant or turning around an existing one is key. Mo Consult, founded by Modupe Sanders, is a business offering just such a specialist service to its clients.
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Zohra Teke, founder of Sofra Istanbul (South Africa)
Impact Partner Content: Absa
Zohra Teke of Sofra Istanbul in Durban, South Africa, shares her first-hand experience of how Absa can help a restaurant deliver the exotic tastes of Turkey to local food-lovers’ doorsteps.
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