Initially, Sthaweni Farming operated as a small-scale supplier of fresh herbs and vegetables, going door-to-door to sell their produce between 2016 and 2018. Today, the business has expanded, with clients that include 10 Pick n Pay stores, Food Lovers Market, three Spar outlets, two restaurants and several independent retailers. Discussions with a major retailer are also under way.
The farm’s produce list includes peppers, tomatoes, cabbage, spinach, butternut, onions and coriander. The Zwanes’ operations are meticulous and efficient: they develop their own seedlings, transplant them, nurture them to maturity and then harvest and deliver the produce to contracted clients.
Sthaweni Farming uses three hectares of their family’s 10-hectare farm but plans to expand to five hectares by the end of the year and to the full 10 hectares by the end of next year.
“Our mother used to do cattle farming, but she has since moved on to other businesses,” Thando explains. “The farm was just idling when we started. My sister and I decided to experiment with it, using municipal water until we received a bill. From that experiment, the enterprise grew from strength to strength.”
The business employs nine staff members and places a strong emphasis on continuous learning. Thando, a retired footballer, has taken short courses in agriculture and business management to enhance his expertise.
“In agriculture, you learn something new every day, so we try to learn as much as we can along the way,” he said.
Winning the Presidential SMME Award has been a big milestone for the business.
“This has been our biggest stepping stone. Sharing the room with entrepreneurs, meeting people such as minister of small business Stella Ndabeni and President Cyril Ramaphosa ... it was a blessing. We are hopeful that this will open more doors for us,” Thando said.
SowetanLIVE
Siblings turn experiment into an award-winning agribusiness
Sthaweni Farming supplies vegetables to supermarkets, restaurants
Image: VUKUZENZELE
Gauteng siblings Noluthando, 25, and Thando Zwane, 33, are building a legacy of excellence in agriculture through their start-up, Sthaweni Farming.
What began as a modest experiment on their family’s 10-hectare farm has grown into a thriving enterprise making waves in agribusiness.
Sthaweni Farming, which specialises in planting, growing, harvesting and processing vegetables, recently received the prestigious Rural-based Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises of the Year Award at the National Presidential SMME Awards.
The recognition came with a R200,000 cash prize, a testament to the Zwanes’ hard work and determination.
“We’ve been in the agribusiness for eight years, but we have been running a professional enterprise for six years. It has been a journey with its ups and downs,” said Thando.
Initially, Sthaweni Farming operated as a small-scale supplier of fresh herbs and vegetables, going door-to-door to sell their produce between 2016 and 2018. Today, the business has expanded, with clients that include 10 Pick n Pay stores, Food Lovers Market, three Spar outlets, two restaurants and several independent retailers. Discussions with a major retailer are also under way.
The farm’s produce list includes peppers, tomatoes, cabbage, spinach, butternut, onions and coriander. The Zwanes’ operations are meticulous and efficient: they develop their own seedlings, transplant them, nurture them to maturity and then harvest and deliver the produce to contracted clients.
Sthaweni Farming uses three hectares of their family’s 10-hectare farm but plans to expand to five hectares by the end of the year and to the full 10 hectares by the end of next year.
“Our mother used to do cattle farming, but she has since moved on to other businesses,” Thando explains. “The farm was just idling when we started. My sister and I decided to experiment with it, using municipal water until we received a bill. From that experiment, the enterprise grew from strength to strength.”
The business employs nine staff members and places a strong emphasis on continuous learning. Thando, a retired footballer, has taken short courses in agriculture and business management to enhance his expertise.
“In agriculture, you learn something new every day, so we try to learn as much as we can along the way,” he said.
Winning the Presidential SMME Award has been a big milestone for the business.
“This has been our biggest stepping stone. Sharing the room with entrepreneurs, meeting people such as minister of small business Stella Ndabeni and President Cyril Ramaphosa ... it was a blessing. We are hopeful that this will open more doors for us,” Thando said.
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