Kadimo Foods (pty) Ltd
| Business Location: | Urban |
| Province | Northern Cape |
| Branch: | Frances Baard |
| Business Start Date: | 2022-02-08 |
| Busniess Type: | Company |
Business Dynamics and Challenges
Business Activities:
Kdimo Foods manufacture homemade Garlic Atchar.
Challenges/Needs:
Although Ms. Mhlaba had demonstrated resilience and commitment in building her brand, which has fast become a famous brand on social media pages, the business required further structured guidance to strengthen its operational and strategic direction. This created a clear need for continued mentoring and coaching to equip the Director with the skills and confidence necessary to manage growth, improve product consistency, and navigate market opportunities.
Amongst others, access to local markets also proved to be a significant barrier. Despite producing a unique and well-received garlic atchar, Kadimo Foods lacked sufficient marketing platforms to showcase its products to a broader customer base, including the retail space. Without market visibility, sales growth remained slow, limiting the business’s ability to generate sustainable revenue. In addition, the challenges above were attributed by insufficient promotional material and branding, which made it difficult for the business to stand out or effectively communicate its value to potential customers.
Product testing also emerged as another critical gap. The business needed to comply with food safety regulations and enter formal retail spaces. Without these tests, the business risks non-compliance and cannot expand into larger, regulated markets.
Lastly, Kadimo Foods faced financial constraints that limited its ability to invest in equipment, purchase raw materials in bulk, or cover day-to-day operational expenses. The lack of access to adequate financing posed a major challenge to scaling production and improving the overall efficiency of the enterprise.
Together, these challenges highlighted the need for structured business development support, continued local market access opportunities, and financial interventions to enable Kadimo Foods to grow from a small-scale producer into a competitive and compliant enterprise.
Intervention Insights and Results
Intervention Details:
A series of targeted interventions were implemented to strengthen the business and position it for sustainable expansion. Recognising the entrepreneur’s need for continued guidance, Kadimo Foods was enrolled in the WRSETA Entrepreneurship Development Mentorship Programme. This support provided structured mentoring and coaching to help Ms. Mhlaba enhance her business management skills, improve operational efficiency, and make informed decisions necessary for scaling production.
To address the difficulty of accessing local markets, the business was given the opportunity to exhibit at the Diamond Pavilion Mall Pop-Up Market. This exposure not only increased brand visibility but also resulted in significantly improved sales, demonstrating the strong market potential of the garlic atchar when showcased in high-traffic environments. Complementary to this, Kadimo Foods received marketing materials to strengthen the business’s brand presence and support consistent promotion across different platforms and events.
Given the importance of compliance for entering formal retail channels, support was sourced from SABS to conduct the required product testing for the garlic atchar. This includes chemical and nutritional analysis as well as shelf-life testing, which are essential for ensuring food safety and meeting regulatory standards. In addition, plans are underway to assist the business further with appropriate packaging and barcoding solutions. This intervention will ensure that the product is not only visually appealing but also meets industry requirements for durability, freshness, and traceability.
To overcome financial constraints, facilitation of access to funding is being carried out through the WRSETA Spaza Shop Programme implemented by SEDFA. This support aims to enable Kadimo Foods to acquire the necessary equipment, secure raw materials, and cover operational expenses, thereby unlocking production capacity and business growth opportunities. Collectively, these interventions directly respond to the challenges identified in the background—bridging gaps in skills, market access, compliance, branding, and financing—to ensure that Kadimo Foods evolves into a competitive and fully compliant agro-processing enterprise.
To address the difficulty of accessing local markets, the business was given the opportunity to exhibit at the Diamond Pavilion Mall Pop-Up Market. This exposure not only increased brand visibility but also resulted in significantly improved sales, demonstrating the strong market potential of the garlic atchar when showcased in high-traffic environments. Complementary to this, Kadimo Foods received marketing materials to strengthen the business’s brand presence and support consistent promotion across different platforms and events.
Given the importance of compliance for entering formal retail channels, support was sourced from SABS to conduct the required product testing for the garlic atchar. This includes chemical and nutritional analysis as well as shelf-life testing, which are essential for ensuring food safety and meeting regulatory standards. In addition, plans are underway to assist the business further with appropriate packaging and barcoding solutions. This intervention will ensure that the product is not only visually appealing but also meets industry requirements for durability, freshness, and traceability.
To overcome financial constraints, facilitation of access to funding is being carried out through the WRSETA Spaza Shop Programme implemented by SEDFA. This support aims to enable Kadimo Foods to acquire the necessary equipment, secure raw materials, and cover operational expenses, thereby unlocking production capacity and business growth opportunities. Collectively, these interventions directly respond to the challenges identified in the background—bridging gaps in skills, market access, compliance, branding, and financing—to ensure that Kadimo Foods evolves into a competitive and fully compliant agro-processing enterprise.
Outcome Details:
As a result of the funding and post investment intervention, Kadimo Foods has grown in leaps and bounds. The enterprise experienced growth in terms of turnover and sustained employment. The turnover increased by 17% from year-end 2024 to February 2025, rising from R 64,123.00 to R 75,214.00. Additionally, the employment was sustained with one (1) employee.
Client Feedback
Client Comments:
“I am grateful that SEDFA has assisted Kadimo Foods immensely thus far, and have put the business on a positive growth trajectory”
