Future looks promising for motlopi-made Sheroo Coffee

Who can fault a local product when it fails to penetrate the market dominated by already established global brands? This is even worse in markets like Botswana where consumers are skeptical of local products as seen by calls by a number of Batswana for the government to lift moratorium on importation of 16 vegetable products from South Africa.

However, for Sheroo Coffee, the local coffee brand is gradually penetrating the local market after failing for some years. The coffee brand, which is made from the motlopi tree, is finding traction in the market as it shares shelf space with established international brands like Jacobs, Ricoffy, Frisco and Nescafe amongst others.

Already, it has found shelf space at retailers like Square Mart while individuals also have direct access to the 100% natural coffee. If talks succeed, the coffee will have a shelf space at Woolworths and Fours stores.

The Motlopi Sheroo coffee is owned and produced by Dinah Botha, a citizen who hails from Kolonkwaneng in the Kgalagadi south region.

In an interview with BusinessMonitor, Botha said her coffee continues to make strides in the local market as she seems to have finally made a breakthrough.

“For years I was selling my product to individuals and Square Mart in Gaborone. But the future looks promising as I have been in talks with some retailers like Woolworths, Fours and many others to provide shelf space for my product,” she said.

“This is something that is in the final stages and Batswana will soon be able to access my coffee in many retailers.”

The coffee is produced from the motlopi tree also known as the Shepherd Tree, which grows well in the county without much of a struggle.

The coffee is said to have nutritional benefits and does not have caffeine.

“The Sheroo Coffee is made from the motlopi tree. We specially process it the way we have been taught by our late grandparents. This is something that has been passed on from generations and I hope the cycle will continue even when I am not here,” Botha added.

However, just like any other business, Botha’s enterprise has also encountered problems on the way. Some of these huddles include amongst others shortage of labour and transportation especially during harvest time.

“I have four employees who are all women and during harvest I am normally forced to hire more people to fill the gaps,” she explained.

Botha says one of her biggest aspirations is being able to get the labour she needs and also the land so that she can have her own plant where she can produce the coffee on a large scale.

“The growth that I really want to see in my business is being able to get the land for this business and produce on a large scale as currently all this is done in the back of the yard,” Botha said.

Though the business is producing on a small scale, she said they have been able to meet the demand and this is due to the fact that they have not been supplying

many retailers. Dinah Botha Beverages can be contacted through their social media platforms for orders and

purchases.