During a visit to local business, Eden All Natural, MEC David Maynier encouraged businesses across the Western Cape to enter the 2019 Western Cape Entrepreneurship Recognition Awards (WCERA) as he heard directly from Managing Director, Debbie Ncube, of the positive impact winning the award had on her business.
Eden All Natural was a WCERA winner in 2017 in the emerging business category. Based in Kensington, Cape Town, this black woman-owned company manufactures natural peanut butter with 100% peanuts, no additives, no preservatives/hydrogenated oils and no stabilisers nor sugar, and currently supplies Pick ‘n Pay nationwide, Spar, Wellness Warehouse and many other small retailers.
According to Mrs Ncube, winning the award not only drove awareness of the Eden All Natural brand which in turn increased product sales, but that the prize money allowed her to buy the equipment necessary to increase production and subsequently employ two additional members of staff.
“More companies approached us after hearing our story at the awards. The new equipment that we bought also helped us to increase our production output and we were able to distribute to more regions including the Eastern Cape and Gauteng,” said Mrs Ncube.
On seeing the Eden All Natural operation and sampling the peanut butter, Minister Maynier said, “In Women’s Month it’s important that we celebrate businesses owners like Mrs Ncube who are bravely launching companies and creating jobs and supporting skills development in their communities and the Western Cape economy. They are role models in our community.”
“It is vital for our economy that as a government we develop a culture of entrepreneurship that leads to the creation of jobs and growth. The Western Cape Entrepreneurship Recognition Awards is an important platform to recognise the achievements and potential of some of the Province’s most exciting entrepreneurs, and I’d like to encourage all entrepreneurs, especially women and young people, to enter this year’s awards.”