Indigenous home remedy champions health and community upliftment

Teboho Kwetempane, founder of Dr Kweteps Creatives, is on a mission to revolutionise wellness and economic empowerment through his flagship innovation, Moringa Nutrika.

Established in 2019, the Limpopo-based company blends indigenous knowledge with modern science to create accessible, nutrient-rich herbal supplements.

The story behind Moringa Nutrika is deeply personal, Kwetempane explained. “The reason we came up with the product is personal. My father was not well. During his illness, we studied administering indigenous remedies to him. We saw a miraculous recovery, in a sense. As time went on, people encouraged me to commercialise this medicinal plant.”

And with that, what began as a home remedy soon evolved into a full-fledged business. “We started by making pure moringa powder. People wanted variations, so we began dabbling in flavouring moringa powder,” he said.

Today, Moringa Nutrika is a multi-herbal blend with moringa as the star ingredient – combined with ginger, turmeric, bay leaf oil, honey and banana.

“The kicker is that it’s convenient. You don’t have to struggle with bitterness. It’s for people in offices, at home – anyone,” Kwetempane emphasised.

At its core, Dr Kweteps Creatives is about empowerment. The start-up has established a micro-distribution programme that has helped create jobs and spread the product into more hands. “People buy in bulk and resell themselves. We handle manufacturing; they take it to market,” said Kwetempane.

So far, 15 micro-distributors have joined the model, fuelling grassroots growth and keeping operations lean. The business has also expanded into snacks with Crunchy Herbals – cookies designed for people managing chronic conditions like diabetes.

“We work closely with the University of Limpopo and stakeholders like the Polokwane local municipality for research. We also conduct lab testing for shelf life, microbial analysis and nutritional quality,” he added.

Kwetempane’s work has not gone unnoticed, winning several awards in its six years of existence. In 2024, the business was awarded the National Presidential Award for Breaking Ground SMME of the Year, and the Young Innovator Challenge hosted by Absa and the Youth Entrepreneurship Institute.

“Moringa thrives in high-temperature areas like Limpopo. Part of our raw materials are sourced from local farmers. We’re building a value chain to empower them with good agricultural practices,” he explained.

By focusing on manufacturing and outsourcing inputs like flavourings, the business is able to grow sustainably while uplifting rural producers.

Currently based at the Itsoseng Entrepreneurial Centre in Polokwane, Dr Kweteps Creatives is taking a strategic approach to expansion. “We started at a home-based level to test market response. Now, we’re in incubation, aiming to go commercial,” he said.

The company now offers four product lines: flavoured moringa powders, instant porridge, herbal-infused beverages and Crunchy Herbals snacks. Sales are driven through social media, exhibitions and the micro-distribution network. “We’re yet to enter retail. First, we want to differentiate ourselves and build our ecosystem. Small businesses buy from us, resell and grow with us.”

Kwetempane has bold aspirations: “We want to take Moringa Nutrika global.”

With a team of five employees and a growing network of farmers and distributors, Dr Kweteps Creatives is poised to blend tradition, science and community upliftment into a powerful force for change.

“We want to empower everyone in our value chain,” he said. “When we rise, we rise together.”