Emi-Beth Aku Quantson, a Ghanaian social entrepreneur creating impact through coffee

August 25, 2023 Melanie Hawken

Emi-Beth Aku Quantson, Founder & CEO, Kawa Moka Coffee Company (Ghana)

Startup Story

Emi-Beth Aku Quantson is the Founder, CEO and Chief Caffeination Officer at Kawa Moka Coffee Company, Ghana's leading social enterprise coffee company and roaster, where she drives investment and growth. She has raised over $200,000 in debt and equity investments; created over 250 jobs in coffee through farmer partnerships and employment of marginalized groups; and established Accra's largest roastery, supplying major supermarkets and cafes across the country and internationally. Emi-Beth has been recognized by the President of the Republic of Ghana, President Akuffo Addo. Prior to founding Kawa Moka in 2015, Emi-Beth worked as a tax consultant and transfer pricing expert at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in Ghana and Kenya.

Rozelle Abramson, a South African agro-processing brand builder

August 20, 2023 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Fynbos Fine Foods, an agro-processor adding value by turning ethically grown South African produce into bottled, natural and vegan products

Rozelle Abramson, founder of Fynbos Fine Foods in South Africa, has always been passionate about food, creating recipes and loving layered flavours. She studied early childhood education, specializing in teaching children with learning difficulties. While teaching she worked for various catering companies on the weekends and in the holidays to supplement her income and to feed her passion for cooking and creating delicious food. In 1996, Cape Hot House Vegetables was formed. She began farming Greenhouse Coloured peppers. In that same year the business launched its first value-added product which was a Chilli Ginger Jam, made with red peppers which would have gone to the compost. Within a few years the business was farming for manufacturing! The rest is history! Today, the business employs 130 people.

Pauline Otila, a Kenyan apiculturist creating impact with bees

July 23, 2023 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Apiculture Venture Limited, a Kenyan social enterprise positively changing lives and food resilience through bee-keeping

Pauline Otila is a seasoned professional apiculturist and the founder of impact-driven social enterprise, Apiculture Venture Limited in Kenya. The business was founded in 2018, and today employs 19 full-time and 7 part-time people. She brings her strong working knowledge and over 18 years of experience in business operations in the modern beekeeping industry. She dared to venture into this male-dominated industry after 13 years of employment adopting the moniker, 'the Queen Bee'. She is passionate about enterprising in beekeeping and honey production. Through her business, Pauline extends her ambition as a socio-economic empowerment driver, particularly in the poverty stricken ASALs with high potential of honey production. Through her ‘Modern Beekeeping for Improved Livelihoods’ initiative, she aims at boosting household food resilience by reducing number of food insecure Kenyans.

Márcia Dima Jone, a Mozambican entrepreneur building an organic fertilizer business

June 11, 2023 Melanie Hawken

Márcia Dima Jone, founder, N’toko Organic Lda (Mozambique)

Startup Story

Márcia Dima Jone is the founder and owner of N’toko Organic Lda, a startup that collects and recovers waste. Currently, its focus is on composting for the production of organic fertilizer in order to promote the adoption of sustainable cultivation practices by gardeners and farmers and the reduction of the use of pesticides. N'toko has been committed to environmental education as one of the bets for promoting the Circular Economy, through the correct disposal of solid waste, its use and sustainability.

Sizolwenkosi Mazolo, a Zimbabwean entrepreneur building a value-add agro-processing business

May 28, 2023 Melanie Hawken

Sizolwenkosi Mazolo, founder, Ingcebethu Pvt Ltd (Zimbabwe)

Startup Story

Sizolwenkosi Mazolo is the founder of Ingcebethu Pvt Ltd, a small business based in Zimbabwe and in the value addition agro-processing sector. Ingcebethu uses a 3-way model which is Freezing, Canning and Drying fruits and vegetables in the bid to reduce food waste, post-harvest losses, as well as to promote food security in Africa. Sizolwenkosi has been awarded a number of accolades for her work which include: 2022 JCI TOYP Honouree, Top 20 Young CEOs by CEO Roundtable Africa 2022, as well as the Record Breaker Young CEOs by Zimbabwe CEOs Network 2022 among others. She is a YALI RLC alumni and her business was in the top 10 finalists in the 2022 Eagles Nest Incubation program by Zimtrade. In line with her mission to address food security, Sizolwenkosi volunteers at The Mobi Soup Kitchen where approximately 600 children are fed every week at a squatter camp in Harare.

Dupe Killa-Kafidipe, an entrepreneur finding solutions to global food insecurity

May 21, 2023 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Platinum Fisheries, an ethical and sustainable B2B seafood production company in Nigeria

Dupe Killa-Kafidipe is the founder/ceo of Platinum Fisheries in Nigeria, which has a mission to produce healthy seafood using efficient, ethical and sustainable methods. Dupe is an award-winning business leader with prior C-Suite experience in process re-engineering, change management and business consulting. She is also an alumna of the Harvard Business School, IESE New York, the China-Europe International Business School (CEIBS) and INSEAD. Dupe once volunteered as Head of Strategy with a humanitarian intervention for children affected by conflicts in the North-East of Nigeria. Dupe’s life pursuit is to continue to be a force for good in all spheres of human interaction – business, social and environmental.

Award-winning Rio Largo Olive Estate launches its Tree to Table event on 14 May

May 10, 2023 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Launch

If you are a fan of great olive oil and you want an unforgettable experience, then the place to be on 14 May (Mother’s Day) is the special Tree to Table event at the Rio Largo Olive Estate in South Africa’s Scherpenheuwel Valley, Breede River, Western Cape. Co-owners Brenda and Nick Wilkinson are celebrating their olive harvest and the growth of their multi-award winning brand of olive oil. This will be an event to remember, providing the chance for guests to experience the picking and processing of olives from the Rio Largo Olive Estate, and then a tasting of FRESH olive oil, together with a celebratory meal incorporating the finest Rio Largo Olive Oil. As Brenda says, you never forget the day you taste FRESH olive oil...ever!

Nomhle Maggie Mliswa, a Zimbabwean agripreneur creating jobs & equal opportunities

March 5, 2023 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Summerhill Farm, a high-impact, smart agribusiness employing 350 people and contributing to SDGs in Zimbabwe

Nomhle Maggie Mliswa, is the founder of Summerhill Farm in Zimbabwe, a business launched in 2007 and which today employs 350 people. She is a mother, a successful serial entrepreneur, and also runs a transport fleet and a Tillage service company that tills land for farmers. She is the only woman in the sector. The farm is a diversified entity driven by SDGs and involved in Smart Agriculture, contributing to employment creation, food security, transfer of skills, tourism, and commercial business. Norma (as she us known by friends) has received several social, business and agriculture accolades. As a coach leader, speaker, game changer and mentor, Norma interrogates issues of development, challenging societies, and institutions from their comfort zones. In August 2022, she was the guest speaker at a Baptist Woman Conference in Liberia sharing her farming experiences as a single parent and successful farmer.

Dirce Vicente, a Mozambican agripreneur uses the power of publishing to inspire others in agriculture

January 29, 2023 Melanie Hawken

Dirce Vicente, founder, Fly Eagles LDA (Mozambique)

Startup Story

Fly Eagles LDA is a digital magazine publishing venture, founded by experienced agripreneur, Dirce Vicente in Mozambique. Passionate about Agriculture, she has already developed many solutions to improve the agricultural ecosystem in Mozambique. Dirce is the founder of Dfruit, Agri impact, and is currently letting her passion emerge with the launch of an agribusiness magazine called Fly Eagles Agribusiness. The magazine aims to provide the reader with unique experiences, inspiring them to reach their purpose and unlock their maximum potential. It shares stories of overcoming and persistence in Agriculture from people who are making it happen, and excelling in this field.

Teresa Kulei, a Mozambican entrepreneur harnessing natural ingredients to process balacate tea

January 22, 2023 Melanie Hawken

Teresa Kulei, founder, NSINYA COMÉRCIO e SERVIÇOS, LDA (Mozambique)

Startup Story

Teresa Kulei is the founder of NSINYA COMÉRCIO e SERVIÇOS, LDA in Mozambique. She graduated in Agronomy from the State University of Saint Petersburg-Russia and works in the agribusiness area. NSINYA was founded in 2020.

Doreen Michelo, a Zambian agripreneur addressing food security through affordable locally grown farm produce

October 23, 2022 Melanie Hawken

Doreen Michelo, Founder and Managing Director, Mzala Enterprise Ltd (Zambia)

Startup Story

Doreen Michelo is the Founder and Managing Director of Mzala Enterprise Ltd in Zambia, a business founded in 2018. She is a serial entrepreneur and business leader focusing on enhancing local community capacity growth and sustainability by growing and producing high quality farm produce for the local market that is not only accessible but very affordable. Empowering the local community through Agriculture Skills training and knowledge dissemination through the skills hub/centre is another major focus of the business as it aims to leave a lasting positive impact on the community supporting its operations. The business has employed 9 permanent workers and 20 seasonal workers. Doreen has 9 years business work experience as a professional in various industries.

Priscilla Musenge, a Zambian entrepreneur creating sustainable animal feed solutions for greener business

September 25, 2022 Melanie Hawken

Priscilla Museng, founder, Entomo Farm ( Zambia)

Startup Story

Priscilla Musenge is a Climate Change activist and a budding entrepreneur, who is the ceo and founder of Entomo Farm in Zambia, a business launched in 2018. It has since created jobs for 7 people. She was one of the top 10 Finalists of the inaugural cohort of the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs in 2020, a White House Initiative. Additionally, in the same year, Priscilla’s start-up also received a grant in sustainable waste management from United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Zambia. Most recently, she also won 2nd prize in the world’s largest green business ideas competition - the 2021 Climate Launchpad business competition and was one of the recipients of the inaugural 2022 ZANACO (Zambia National Commercial Bank) awards in Zambia.

Jane Maigua, Kenya’s macadamia nut agri-processing pioneer

June 26, 2022 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Exotic EPZ, a Kenyan macadamia nuts processing and export company supporting smallholder farmers

Jane Maigua is the CEO of Exotic EPZ, a macadamia nuts processing and export company based in Nairobi Kenya. The company was restarted in 2017 under Jane's leadership and has grown its supply of high quality nuts from Netherlands to a growing customer base in USA, Spain, Germany, Italy and China. Jane has two business partners, Charity Ndegwa and Loise Maina, and together they have established the only solely woman-owned processing and export company in the macadamia value chain in East Africa. Exotic EPZ employs over 100 workers giving them a decent employment, and it sources its raw nuts from over 5000 small holder farmers. Of the company’s workers, 85% are women and 75% are youth. Exotic EPZ’s commitment to environmental sustenance has been demonstrated in its use of solar power to run its processing factory and recycling of shells as boiler fuel, in addition to use of energy efficient processing systems. Currently the company is launching a campaign for planting of macadamia trees as a source of income as well as for carbon sequestration.

Filomena Matimbe, a Mozambican entrepreneur creating business through banana flour innovation

May 29, 2022 Melanie Hawken

Filomena Matimbe, founder and ceo, Finana (Mozambique)

Startup Story

Filomena Matimbe is the founder and ceo of Finana, a Mozambican company specializing in Banana Flour processing and dry banana. She brings five years of experience in this business. Finana has won multiple awards including the world Gold Medal at the II World of Inventors and Innovators Forum, and also a SANBio award in Mozambique 2017. Banana flour is available in supermarkets, convenience stores, and pharmacies. It is also served as a snack in schools and in the largest hospital in the country.

Yvette Tetteh, a Ghanaian entrepreneur building an impact driven agribusiness

May 14, 2022 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

The Pure and Just Company, trading under the Yvaya Farm brand of tropical dried fruit, adds value to Ghana’s agribusiness sector

A Stanford University graduate, Yvette Tetteh is the co-founder and ceo of the Pure and Just Company, a rural-urban business transforming fresh fruit into natural, tropical dried fruit products. Yvette brings analytical thinking and academic rigour to team leadership and business development in the business which, founded in 2018, today employs 18 local people. In 5 years she has raised over US$170k in various personal and business awards and grants. Born and raised internationally, Yvette moved to her native Ghana in 2015. Her passion is to catalyse African potential in order to help create a world where all Africans have the economic capacity to achieve their dreams.

Iolanda Almeida, a Mozambican coffeepreneur supporting local coffee farmers

December 26, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Startup Story

Iolanda Almeida is the founder and CEO of INMA LIMITADA based in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado Province. She is a coffeepreneur and award-winning enterprise leader in Mozambique for the NEPAD SAN Bio Phase II BioFISA FEM BioBiz Programme. Iolanda’s business is focused on processing coffee from Ibo Island in Mozambique´s World Biosphere Reserve for the internal market. She founded the business in 2015 to support almost 150 Ibo Coffee farmers, for social inclusion and local development.

Rebecca Tshuma, a South African agripreneur with a big growth vision

October 31, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Rebecca Tshuma, founder, Becks Foods (South Africa)

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Becks Foods, building a reputation for supplying fresh, healthy produce direct from the farm.

Ensuring food security and continuity of the agri value chain is important in South Africa and globally, and for agripreneur Rebecca Tshuma, founder of high-growth business, Becks Foods, that is her inspiration. She is building a reputation for supplying some of the freshest, healthiest produce direct from the farm. From major food retailers to the hospitality industry, commercial customers look for reliable, high quality, fresh produce suppliers to meet their needs, and Becks Foods is growing to be there for them.

Salma Abdulai, a visionary agribusiness entrepreneur changing lives in Ghana

September 5, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

AMAATI Co. Ltd, an agri-business processing Fonio to empower small-scale women farmers

Salma Abdulai is the Co-Founder and CEO of AMAATI Company limited, a company that reflects her experience and passion for agriculture and social consciousness. She has her background in Agricultural Economics and has 10 years of experience working on different projects with International non-profit organizations. Her extensive experience in the agriculture sector is particularly focused on working with small scale rural farmers and women groups across Africa. She has managed AMAATI CO. Ltd since 2013 to become profitable, an agri-business company she co-founded which is into the processing and marketing of Fonio for local and export market.

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