SANO Foods employs 37 workers
MATSAPHA – A local directorship company, by the name of SANO Foods Company, has been established and employed 37 workers.
This was revealed during the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade business tour of SANO Foods Company premises at Matsapha Industrial Site yesterday. SANO Foods is a locally registered micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME), which was established in 2014. It specialises in farm products pre-packing. The company has a 100 per cent emaSwati directorship. Its traditional brewing line produces products which are sorghum brew and emahewu, under the brand name ‘Silomo’.
As the company continued to grow over the years, the directors seized the opportunity for acquisition of a traditional brewing line established in 2019, after Eswatini Beverages stopped production of emahewu and sorghum brew to focus on its global brands. The traditional brewing line is producing Imphilo Mahewu and Imvelo Sorghum Brew, and this enterprise is funded by EswatiniBank.
After the acquisition of the traditional brewing line, manufacturing equipment was relocated from Eswatini Beverages and installed at the new site in Matsapha. This was done between January 2022 to July 2022, with full-scale production commencing from August 2022 and all this was done by emaSwati contractors.
Making his remarks during the tour, Minister Manqoba Khumalo said since the company was still at its growth stage, it was anticipated that at full-scale operation there would be a three-shift pattern, employing 30 operators, seven administrators and commercial support staff. “The ultimate goal of the company is to export their products to global markets, exploiting the available market access opportunities through preferential trade agreements that the Kingdom of Eswatini is part of,” the minister said.
He further said the company’s strategy was based on an import substitution
model, which used locally produced raw material. Minister Khumalo said they encouraged such models as they were a catalyst for job creation and an increase in economic productivity.
Tertiary
He added that as part of the company strategy to utilise local skills and expertise, employment opportunities were offered to locally talented emaSwati, who had graduated from tertiary institutions. He also mentioned that the company’s offered an internship programme for 12 months placement of graduates who were exposed to the ‘world of work’ and skills development. “It delights me to share with this gathering that government is currently in the process of enacting a Citizen Economic Empowerment Bill, which is currently in Parliament,” Khumalo said.
He stated that the Bill sought to promote and stimulate MSMEs development and growth, through the economic empowerment of citizen-owned companies; as well as promote gender equality through increasing employment opportunities in accessing, owning, managing, controlling and exploiting economic resources among others. The minister said he believed that the proposed legislation would benefit enterprises such as SANO Foods Company.
Minister Khumalo also appreciated the financial support that had been provided by EswatiniBank for the growth of locally-owned enterprises.
One of the company’s directors, Sandile Simelane, said the reason they were existing was because AB INBEV opened its doors to them while they were an unknown, small business, and allowed them to present an interest in acquiring the business. He said normally, people would look for a less risky entity with a financial muscle and capability to operationalise. “But Eswatini Beverages didn’t look at that. They looked at empowering emaSwati to create job opportunities and to be an example to others,” he said.
The director also commended EswatiniBank for taking a risk in financing them, adding that few financial institutions would have done that. Simelane appreciated Eswatini Investment Promotion Authority (EIPA) for opening the operation space for them. He thanked all the contractors who contributed in putting the piece of work together. The director revealed that there were no consultants that were used but the end product was impeccable.
Meanwhile, he appreciated his staff members for their stellar job in turning raw material into a finished product. On another note, Simelane mentioned that customers were receptive of their product and that the market was growing.
He encouraged emaSwati, especially MSMEs to take the risk in starting such businesses as he said it was doable, although quite challenging. He also highlighted that some financial institutions should start seeing small business opportunities and not risks.