EC Poultry & Vegetables Primary Co-Op
| Business Location: | Rural area - Villages |
| Province | Eastern Cape |
| Branch: | OR Tambo |
| Business Start Date: | 2025-03-03 |
| Busniess Type: | Co-operative |
Business Dynamics and Challenges
Business Activities:
In 2017, a group of ambitious young entrepreneurs launched EC Poultry & Projects, a cooperative that started with vegetable farming in borrowed community gardens. Through hard work and strategic reinvestment of profits, they expanded their operations, supplying major retailers like Spar Northcrest, Spar Savoy, and Ikwezi Spar. By 2019, they ventured into poultry farming, focusing on raising broiler chicks. Demand surged, and they grew from handling 100 chicks a month to 100 chicks a week.
Recently, EC Poultry Primary Cooperative secured R4 million in funding from ECDC, ECRDA, and SEDFA. This investment enabled them to build a state-of-the-art poultry structure and a borehole and acquire 1,500 layers. As the layers begin to lay eggs, the business is poised for significant growth.
The cooperative is led by a team of dedicated and qualified individuals, including:
• Zukani Majeke (Director & Founding Member) - National Diploma in Agricultural Management
• Mlibo Majeke (Director & Founding Member) - BCom (Business Management) and Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
• Aphiwe Tuswa (Founding Member) - Certificate (N5) in Public Management
• Sipumeze Gqezu (Founding Member) - Certificate (N5) in Public Management
• Luthando Sithi Tyumre (Founding Member) - Grade 11
Challenges/Needs:
Lack of proper marketing, branding and barcoding
Intervention Insights and Results
Intervention Details:
Marketing material (Promotional), Packaging and Barcoding
Outcome Details:
Sales increased due to increased visibility and compliance to the market by 41% and 2 more job opportunities created
Client Feedback
Client Comments:
With continued momentum, this Co-operative is poised for long term success
