Richards Bay entrepreneur turns beetroot into wine

Richards Bay entrepreneur growing her beetroot wine business, showcasing its potential at upcoming Rural Industrialisation Summit

1 hour ago

Mbuso Kunene 2 minutes read

Abongile Kholeka Mdubeki (39) Photo: Supplied

IN the heart of Mzingazi Agri-Village in Richards Bay, entrepreneur Abongile Kholeka Mdubeki (39) is turning an ordinary household ingredient into a distinctive South African product through her handcrafted Kholie Beetroot Wine.

Mdubeki has built Kholie Care around a distinctly local foundation, while developing an ambitious vision to take her product beyond Richards Bay and into markets across the country.

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The wholly black-owned, woman-founded manufacturing enterprise was established in 2023, with Kholie Beetroot Wine as its signature product; a naturally handmade speciality wine that reflects Mdubeki’s creativity, agricultural knowledge and ability to transform locally-available produce into a value-added product.

Mdubeki dreams of seeing a bottle of her home-grown wine in every household in the region, and believes her product has the potential to appeal to a wide range of consumers.

“I would love to see my product on the shelves of big retail shops across the country,” she said.

Mdubeki is one of the local entrepreneurs participating in the upcoming Rural Industrialisation Summit hosted by Bhekithembi Enterprise Development NPC and being held at Port Durnford community hall from 6 to 8 October.

She sees the platform as a potential opportunity to expose Kholie Beetroot Wine to new markets, networks and business opportunities.

More than an unconventional beverage, Mdubeki’s beetroot wine demonstrates the possibilities that emerge when entrepreneurs look beyond traditional uses of agricultural produce and explore opportunities in local processing, product development and manufacturing.

For Mdubeki, Kholie Beetroot Wine is an example of how rural and township entrepreneurs can identify opportunities within their immediate surroundings and transform them into commercially viable products.

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Her entrepreneurial journey also highlights the growing role of women in manufacturing and value added agricultural enterprises.

Mdubeki is building a brand that combines local production with an ambition to establish itself as a recognised South African speciality product.

Her vision is to strengthen the brand, expand its market presence and create new opportunities for locally-produced products.

“Kholie Beetroot Wine is ultimately a reminder that innovation can begin by looking at a familiar agricultural product differently and asking what else it can become.”

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