Many people snack on unhealthy junk food such as chips, ice cream, popcorn, and soft drinks. The regular consumption of these snacks can lead to weight gain and decrease the quality of a person’s life. It’s therefore important to make healthy snacks available.
Wendy Mpendulo is a health-conscious entrepreneur who started Miante Manufacturing, a Pretoria based healthy snack producer that sells snacks such as ground nuts, macadamia, moringa nuts, almonds, cashew nuts, dried fruit and so much more.
“Many people are suffering from obesity because of their unhealthy food choices, I started my business to give them a healthy alternative to snack on,” said Wendy. She is an advocate for eating natural snacks that are not highly processed with unhealthy fats and chemicals.
Working from a factory was a game changer
The business was founded in 2016 and initially started operating from a garage. As Miante Manufacturing grew, the business focused on product development and moved to a factory. This enabled her business to adhere to food and safety regulations. Moving to a factory was a game changer for the business because retailers started to take her products seriously. These healthy snacks are sold in local Spar stores, petrol garages, pharmacies, butcheries, local markets and on their website.
Brand visibility across the globe
Wendy is determined to access international markets and for her products to be known across the globe. “Over the years, I’ve showcased my products in France, Tanzania, Kenya, Dubai and Germany,” she said. By showcasing her products in other countries, she hopes this will lead to market access opportunities and turn her brand into a household name. “I sell on-the-go tasty nuts that are free from unhealthy sugar and preservatives,” she said.
Giving back.
Entrepreneurship has given Wendy an opportunity to create a positive impact in her community by creating jobs and ensuring people have access to healthy snacking options. Understanding the challenges of starting and running a manufacturing business inspired her to empower her community with skills training.
“I offer AgriSETA accredited qualifications to empower people in townships and rural areas to do what we do. They attend classes, get practical training and we also assist them to start their own business,” she said. By empowering people through skills development training, Wendy hopes people will follow in her footsteps and start their own businesses.
Listen to the interview here.
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Wendy Mpendulo is a participant on Fetola’s Circular Economy Accelerator (CEA), a sustainability growth solution which empowers South African entrepreneurs to build successful, environmentally-sound businesses, in partnership with J.P. Morgan, the Embassy of Finland in Pretoria and Nedbank.
