Cooking up some innovation
EDWIN Kasonga is a professional chef who enjoys challenges. He is a master cook who brings life to the menu at The Jerk Co, a start-up takeaway café that sells Caribbean street food at the Incubation Hub in Diepsloot.
Kasonga, who learned about Caribbean cuisine during his oneyear training in Florida, in the US, to be a chef, plans to set up his own restaurant.
He is grateful for the first-hand exposure and experience he is getting while working with the support of the incubator at the Incubation Hub, launched by the Gauteng provincial government, the City of Johannesburg and national government in September 2014.
The hub, which aimed at incubating small and medium enterprises, is a joint project between government and the private sector. It was established through a R370-million facility between the Jobs Fund, a national government initiative, and Century Property Development.
“The backing we get is critical and helps overcome the barriers and challenges we would normally face if we didn’t have the support,” says the 25-year-old.
The incubator, Kasonga says, assists to market the business in creative ways.
“The incubator has a raffle system for employees working in the main building, which includes the reception, offices and the conference centre,” he says.
“If they pick a number on a raffle ticket which reflects a certain meal or item on our menu, they can come to our café to redeem the ticket and get a meal for free.”
The hub pays for the meal. Kasonga says that is one way the incubator helps drives traffic to his store.
Nontuthuko Shandu, affectionately known as “Chef Connie”, is confident that with access to the incubator, her latest venture will be a success.
She decided to start her own company, Dandozest Catering, after previous joint ventures with other chefs did not succeed due to differing visions.
The Incubation Hub in Diepsloot is not the only facility that is nurturing innovative business practices in Gauteng. The government has also established eKasi Labs, aimed at taking innovation to the people.
By establishing co-creation and innovation spaces in the township, local communities are able to access the services and facilities that are offered at The Innovation Hub. The services and facilities are extended to the township for reindustrialisation and creation of jobs.