From being the brunt of jokes for selling emasi (sour milk) from door-to-door while at University, Samkelo Dlamini of Hlangusakhe Dairies is steady building an enterprise which now has three stand-alone diary shops of his own.
Inside Biz caught up wit Mr Samkelo Dlamini to find out more about his journey and exciting enterprise…
Please tell us about yourself – Who is Samkelo Dlamini?
Samkelo Dlamini (SD): Samkelo Dlamini is a 37 year old man from Mhlaleni, Matsapha. After completing my high school at Salesian High School, I enrolled at the University of Eswatini to pursue a BSc degree in dairy science under the Faculty of Agriculture & Consumer Sciences in Luyengo. I am a single parent with two sons, Sihlangusakhe – 9 years (the name behind the business’ name) and Ahlangene who is 4 years old.
How and when did you get into agribusiness, leading to the establishment of Hlangusakhe Dairies?
SD: It was during my second year of tertiary while working on a dairy entrepreneurial project that my interest for the business was piqued. I decided on starting a dairy processing and marketing business, as I did not have access to dairy cattle farming land, especially coming from an area such as Mhlaleni. I started out by buying milk from Luyengo UNESWA dairy farm whereupon I would ferment it to produce emasi, which I then sold to students and other people on and off-campus. I fermented the emasi in my rented one-room flat off-campus. I initially used about 80% of my internship allowance to buy my first freezer and other materials needed to get started. This was in 2014. I was further inspired to pursue this business during my student attachment at the then Parmalat, now Lactalis.
What products does your business offer and where do you source your products from? Do you work with or use other farmers or are they products from your own farm?
SD: We do not own our own dairy cattle or farm, as yet, instead we source our milk from local commercial-scale dairy farms. We get milk delivered to our main dairy shop in Logoba, whereupon the milk is naturally fermented and the whey (umlaza) is drained. We then distribute fresh emasi to our diary shop at Simunye Plaza and also to Candies n’ Goodies in Mbabane. Soon we will also be distributing through our soon-to-be-opened shop at the Lubombo Mall in Siteki.
Apart from emasi, we also sell farm-fresh eggs, pure honey, fresh milk and buckets and containers of all sizes (which customers can use to carry milk, emasi and other things).
Soon, we shall become one of the very few manufacturers of crucial whey protein, where our diary will produce whey powder from its by-product whey (umlaza). For 8 years now, the enterprise has been disposing large volumes of whey during each production of indigenous emasi. We have now decided to use the whey in a sustainable and profitable way. Whey protein is known for its contribution to natural muscle development and so we foresee opportunities for whey protein to be packaged for use in body building, weight gain after sickness, among just a few uses.
We understand that you’re in the process of opening an outlet in Siteki, following on the ones you already operate in Simunye and Logoba. How did you pick these areas specifically? Also, what inspired the thinking behind establishing your own outlets as opposed to selling to other retail outlets, including the large supermarkets in the country, like most farmers and processors do?
SD: Ok, (chuckles), I came to like Simunye during my first ever visit to the area back in 2016 while visiting my then girlfriend (Ahlangene’s mom) who was staying in the nearby Vuvulane area. As I was already in the diary business, the area fascinated me enough to conduct market research about the opportunities available there for the business. Through thorough research analysis I learnt that Hlangusakhe Dairies had potential for support and growth in the area. It all didn’t happen overnight though. It was only in 2021 (5 years later!) that I started selling emasi in the corridors of the Simunye Plaza every Friday. Then 2 months later, in November 2021, we got shop space at the Simunye Plaza. Siteki was selected based on market research I conducted back in 2015, just before completing my studies. I found out that there was once a vibrant dairy in Siteki called Mabhuda Dairy Farm, and so with their closure there was an under-serviced market which was already used to raw milk and indigenous emasi. In addition, our Logoba shop received a number of customers from places such as Siteki, it then only made sense to open the diary shop at the Lubombo Mall in Siteki.
I ventured to open my own outlets, the first specialized walk-in dairy shops in eSwatini, after most retail chain stores I approached refused to stock and sell the indigenous emasi we produced. Some of the common reasons given were that our indigenous emasi was expensive compared to the pasteurized commercial emasi their customers are used to buying, while others simply doubted our ability to supply and meet demand consistently.
What has been the biggest challenge you have faced thus far while running your business?
SD: The biggest challenge has been sourcing raw milk locally; most of the local commercial-scale dairy farms have standing contracts with the known local giant dairy manufacturers.
Another unforeseen challenge was as a result of looting of our Logoba outlet during the civil unrest last year. We did not only loose products but also expensive equipment that is essential to our production processes.
Why do you think we don’t see more young people venture into agribusiness despite the high levels of youth unemployment?
SD: A lot of youth don’t venture into agribusiness or farming because it is capital intensive. Secondly, farming requires a lot of time and hard labour. It’s not a glamourous job and it is largely suitable in the arable rural areas, whereas voluminous youth dream of moving to work and live in your Mbabane, Manzini or Matsapha’s.
What would you like to see change for the growth of agribusiness or business in general, in the country?
SD: I would like to see more of our big supermarkets providing market access to local small-scale farmers by providing them with the opportunity to supply them with our produce, much like OK foods is doing. At the moment, the expectation from most supermarkets seems to be for local agribusiness owners to be operating at the same large scale as their more established South African counterparts who own large farms and have infinite resources. This is hurting the industry. I am however happy to say that a number of budding eSwatini farmers have benefited from the support from OK Foods.
In your experience, what have you found to be the best and the worst thing about being your own boss?
SD: The best thing about being your own boss is that you largely control your own destiny. You quickly come to realize that the more effort you put into your business, the better the returns. The worst part is that business goes through inevitable rough patches, and you alone have to bear all the associated stresses, losses and circumstances.
Where do you see Hlangusakhe Dairies in five (5) years’ time?
SD: Five years from now, Hlangusakhe Dairies must be owning its own commercial-scale dairy farm, as well as being one of the leading manufacturers of whey protein in Africa. We also have aspirations to produce the very first “100% eSwatini cheese”. By that time, the next generation (my children) would be older and hopefully in a position to actively participate in some of the undertakings of the business, as the long term plan is based on creating a lasting sustainable legacy.
Any advice you’d like to share with budding agribusiness owners?
SD: I can only share advice based on my real life experience; which is, follow your passion, even if your friends or family disagree. There’s a higher chance of succeeding in a business where you are driven by passion above all else. A lot of people didn’t approve of me selling emasi door-to-door when I started out, but driven by my passion and self-belief, I understood that I had to start small and build from there, despite what other people said or thought. From those humble beginnings, I have proven wrong all the people who insisted that I should rather go and find a job.
Great talking to you, thank for your time.
You can contact Hlangusakhe Diaries on +268 7690 4559