Local entrepreneur receives boost from Shoprite

Local entrepreneur, Edward Kgarose received a cash injection and marketing support valued at over R70 000 as the province’s only winner in the Shoprite’s Hustle competition.
The competition ran from August until the end of September and was open to small business owners with an annual turnover of less than R1 million nationwide.
Kgarose, 29, hails from Ga-Molepo and has been running a small fruit beverage business since 2017 when he spotted a gap in the local market. He intends using the prize money to grow his business. Kgarotse developed a healthy drinking yoghurt using sweet potatoes. He says its neutral taste makes it easy to flavour and the added health benefits make it a better alternative to the fruit found in other yoghurt.
With the boost received from Shoprite, Kgarose hopes to invest in branding for bottling and packaging, procure more equipment and employ additional staff members. “We are operating from a small factory in Polokwane. We only have four permanent employees and we produce and sell 500 units per day on the main streets of Polo­kwane and surrounds.”
After only 20 months in the business, Kgarose said he was happy with the strides they had made. “We are already supplying some small outlets in Polokwane and surrounds. We dream of being stocked in major outlets. We want to grow, employ more people and help reduce unemployment. We want to grow bigger. Where we currently use wheelbarrows and trolleys to deliver our goods we want to own trucks with refrigerators so that we can look professional and attract bigger markets,” Kgarose added.
To enter the competition Kgarotse was required to submit a short story that described the nature and essence of his business and photos of the product for evaluation and adjudication.

Story: Herbert Rachuene
>>herbert.observer@gmail.com