When Dr Lerato Matsaunyane, Research Team Manager at the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) stood to moderate a panel at a recent agro-processing summit, she didn’t just open a conversation, she unlocked a treasure chest of real stories from agripreneurs who are grinding, grafting and growing through grit.
By Maphuti Mongatane, Business Development Manager at African Farming
The inaugural Gauteng Agro-processing Convention and Expo was hosted by Gauteng’s MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Vuyiswa Ramokgopa, and took place at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand on 3 and 4 July 2025. The theme of the event was “From Soil to Shelf: Realities of Plant-Based Products, Milling, Sauces, Industrial Crops & Beekeeping”.
Dr Matsaunyane’s session spotlighted four dynamic entrepreneurs who are all navigating very different sectors but are all rooted in one truth: farming is no longer just about land. It’s about vision, value chains and velocity.
The panel featured Lulu Letlape, founder of BongiBees, which is turning honey into a powerful economic driver; Tshepiso Manyoha, founder of Chuck Chilli, a creator of fresh, preservative-free vegetable sauces; Xolani Ndzaba, founder of Sila Milling, which is scaling South Africa’s grain value chain; and Zaid Mohadin, CEO of Vitacann Pharmaceuticals, which is pushing boundaries in the cannabis space.
Dr Matsaunyane recalled the phone call that lit the fuse for this powerful discussion: “A farmer called and said, ‘I want to show you something.’ When I arrived at her farm, she laid out a long table of small tasting dishes. At the end, she uncovered a tray of beautifully packaged products – things she had made, with pride, from her own land. That’s when I knew this session had to happen.” It wasn’t just a meal. It was a message: We are no longer dreaming, we’re doing.
Also read: ‘Invest in agro-processing, invest in tomorrow’ – MEC Maile sets summit tone
Sauces, Sweat And Scaling Up
For Tshepiso Manyoha, the journey of Chuck Chilli has been anything but mild. “Retail doesn’t treat you like a small business,” she said. “They expect the same standards as any big brand – delivery, consistency, quality.” The challenge? Going from a five-person team to running three shifts a day to meet demand. “We had to rewire the entire business model. We needed to invest in packaging, processing flow and pricing strategy, all while keeping our product fresh, with no preservatives.
Grinding Through: Sila’s Grain Revolution
Xolani Ndzaba of Sila Milling shared hard truths about entering the milling sector. “Getting into grain is tough. If you don’t have access to the right machines or market intel, you’ll be stuck at the gate. The banks didn’t understand our model at first, but we kept pushing.” Sila Milling is now a key player in the value chain, proving that black-owned grain-processing businesses can scale and lead.
The Buzz Behind BongiBees
For Lulu Letlape, beekeeping is about more than honey. It’s about access, agency and sustainable economics. “We had to fight imported products and educate the market about local honey. But beyond that, BongiBees creates jobs for women and youth. We’re building an ecosystem, one hive at a time.”
Cannabis And Compliance: The Vitacann Story
Zaid Mohadin entered the cannabis industry during lockdown and quickly realised this was not a business for the faint-hearted. “You need permits, clean rooms, lab testing, market strategy and serious investor relations. You can’t just grow cannabis, you need to meet GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) standards and have a real plan.” Mohadin’s team is now working with universities and biotech labs to scale a full-spectrum cannabis production model with global potential.
Lessons From The Frontlines
Every entrepreneur on the panel agreed that getting your product on a shelf is not the same as getting it into a home. “You must master compliance. Know your margins. Learn the science of scaling. And above all, stay consistent,” said Manyoha.
Key Messages
- Passion is the entry point; discipline keeps you in the game.
- Be retail-ready before you knock on retail’s door.
- Don’t skip the numbers. Your price point, packaging and production must make business sense.
- Partnerships matter, and mentorship, manufacturing and market access are everything.
Why This Moment Matters
Dr Matsaunyane closed with a call to action: “We’ve moved beyond inspiration. These stories demand action. If we want to grow rural economies, we need to support processors, create inclusive supply chains and help agripreneurs formalise and scale. This is how we build a future that includes all of us.”
At African Farming, we’re proud to tell these stories, because agriculture is about character, courage and community-driven commerce.
