• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • News
  • Lifestyle
Agri-worker goes from retrenchment to award-winning entrepreneur

Agri-worker goes from retrenchment to award-winning entrepreneur

29th Oct 2019
This week on the Farmer’s Inside Track Weekend Edition, we take a closer look at the Master Plan for the Commercial Forestry Sector in South Africa. We’re joined by the executive director of Forestry South Africa, Michael Peter paints an intriguing picture.Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

SA forestry: Dynamite on a small patch of land

3rd Jul 2022
The war on plant-based foods has erupted in South Africa. Photo: LikeMeat/Unsplash

War on veggie meat names ‘to protect consumers’

2nd Jul 2022
What to look for when formulating dairy cow rations

What to look for when formulating dairy cow rations

1st Jul 2022
Leave your comfort zone and make money, says foodie

Leave your comfort zone and start hustling, says foodie

1st Jul 2022
Recipe: Make Makile’s crispy chicken wings

Recipe: Make Makile’s crispy chicken wings

1st Jul 2022
Experts have warned farmers to prepare for another steep fuel price increase this month. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Caught in a price spiral: Farmers brace for major losses

1st Jul 2022
Parts of the Western Cape, such as the Central Karoo, are still experiencing drought. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Drought-burdened farmers receive R48m. in fodder

1st Jul 2022
Through his company, Iboyana agri farming, Mhlengi Ngcobo is changing the lives of youth and women in his community. Photo:Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Self-taught farmer doing his bit for the greater good

30th Jun 2022
Research has revealed that less than three in 10 farmers in the upper parts of Africa use technology. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Technology not a priority for Africa’s smallholder farmers

30th Jun 2022
The Mamahlola Communal Property Association was among the first to be established in 2000, but due to underinvestment, their land soon turned into a symbol of government’s land restoration failure. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

The poverty-fighting tool that’s not fighting poverty

30th Jun 2022
Langeberg & Ashton Foods provides employment for around 250 permanent and 4 300 seasonal staff. Photo: Supplied

ICYMI: Search for fruit factory buyer continues

30th Jun 2022
Michele Carelse, founder, and CEO of Feelgood Health, Aquaponics horticulturalist, PJ Phiri Gwengo, Dr Didi Claassen, Afrivets executive for technical and marketing support, and Sibusiso Xaba, co-founder and CEO of Africa Cannabis Advisory Group. Photo:Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Podcast: Learn the basics of growing microgreens

29th Jun 2022
  • Home
  • News
  • Changemakers
  • Lifestyle
  • Farmer’s Inside Track
  • Food for Thought
11 GLOBAL MEDIA AWARDS
Sun, Jul 3, 2022
Food For Mzansi
  • Home
  • News
  • Changemakers
    • All
    • AgriCareers
    • Entrepreneurs
    • Farmers
    • Groundbreakers
    • Innovators
    • Inspiration
    • It Takes a Village
    • Mentors
    • Movers and Shakers
    • Partnerships
    Through his company, Iboyana agri farming, Mhlengi Ngcobo is changing the lives of youth and women in his community. Photo:Supplied/Food For Mzansi

    Self-taught farmer doing his bit for the greater good

    Reggie Kambule from Villiers in the Free State runs a 185 hectare farm where he breeds livestock and cultivates maize. Photo:Supplied/Food For Mzansi

    Engineer-turned farmer takes pride in good results

    Agripreneur 101: Sweet success for jam producer

    Agripreneur 101: Sweet success for jam producer

    Real Housewife turns passion for wine into a business

    Real Housewife turns passion for wine into a business

    David Mthombeni is building an agriculture empire for his family.Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

    Farmer gets his hands dirty while building family empire

    Gauteng farmers give youth a leg-up in agriculture

    Women in farming give youth a leg up in agriculture

    Watch out, these young farmers are on fire!

    Watch out, these young farmers are on fire!

    Unati Speirs has vast experience in agri-business strategy and business funding and was recently appointed as a new board director for Hortgro. Photos: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

    Youngest Hortgro hotshot takes transformation to heart

    Prof Kennedy Mnisi a dedicated young man who wants to help livestock farmers with animal health education to prevent diseases. Picture. Supplied/ Food For Mzansi.

    Animal scientist works hard to earn top dog status

  • Lifestyle
  • Farmer’s Inside Track
  • Food for Thought
No Result
View All Result
Food For Mzansi

Agri-worker goes from retrenchment to award-winning entrepreneur

by Duncan Masiwa
29th Oct 2019
in Agribusiness, Farming Mentors, Female Farmer, Movers and Shakers, Small Scale Farmer
Reading Time: 3 mins read
A A
Agri-worker goes from retrenchment to award-winning entrepreneur

Eugene Simons is the owner of Algina Wholesale Nursery situated on the Rustenhof farm in Cape Town.

When Eugene Simons was retrenched in 2004, along with her husband who worked at the same organic farm, all she thought about was her next move. Instead of retaliating with anger, she chose to react differently.

Today, she runs an award-winning agribusiness which produces five to six million seedlings annually and supplies several community gardens and households. And of course, her startling success doesn’t end there.

Many people start planning their careers quite early in their childhood, but with Simons, it was a completely different scenario – she stumbled into hers. “After our retrenchment, my husband and I used the money from our severance package to start our own vegetable garden. It was called Alan’s Veg’s,” Simons says.

ADVERTISEMENT
Algina Wholesale Nursery provides entrepreneurs with marketing skills as well as sales skills.
Algina Wholesale Nursery provides entrepreneurs with marketing skills as well as sales skills.

Alan’s Veg’s, named after her husband, Alan Simons, is situated on the Rustenhof farm in Firgrove, Cape Town. Here, the duo and their children have been living for the past 21 years.

Towards the end of 2004, the Simons family leased 2800 square metres (the size of approximately 6 netball courts) from the farm owner, on which they planted tomatoes and other crops. “As the demand grew, we were able to expand our operation to more than 6800 square metres (approximately 15 netball courts),” Alan says.

By 2005, Alan’s Veg’s was a sustainable farming operation with the capacity to employ two female agri-workers from the rural community. A plus was that both women had agricultural knowledge, which benefitted the growth of Alan’s Veg’s.

Yet, despite showing signs of success, the agribusiness struggled to secure quality seedlings from their local nursery. “We noticed that the growth habit of the seedlings as well as the colour and taste of the fruit were different compared to the nursery’s usual standard,” Alan explains.

The agripreneur then saw an opportunity to start a secondary business that would supply quality seedlings to Alan’s Veg’s and generate further revenue.

Algina Wholesale Nursery produces five to six million seedlings annually.
Algina Wholesale Nursery produces five to six million seedlings annually.

Algina Wholesale Nursery was founded in 2009 with Eugene’s daughter, Allison, overseeing the marketing for the new business. They specialise in the production of organic seedlings for commercial farms as well as small scale farmers. They also supply a number of community gardens and households.

2015 proved to be a great year for Eugene and her agribusiness. She won the 2015 Western Cape DAFF Top Female Entrepreneur award. “It was such an honor to receive this recognition and as a result of the award, Algina’s Wholesale Nursery have been supplying seedlings to the Western Cape Department of Agriculture’s food security projects,” Eugene explains.

Since winning the award, Eugene has been serving as a judge on the adjudication panel of the Western Cape DAFF Top Female Entrepreneur Awards.

Community development has always been at the top of Eugene’s action list. Her nursery provides informal training to customers as well as to the public. “Our goal is to empower women and youths with the knowledge and skills to grow their own vegetables,” she says.

ADVERTISEMENT

They also work with NGO’s and NPO’s to develop food gardens in communities that need it.

As with many other agripreneurs, Eugene has not been spared the hardships that comes with running a business. In 2018, tough economic times and drought conditions forced her to rethink her marketing strategy and steer her business in a different direction.

“When it comes to drought, farmers tend to plant less, because they don’t have enough irrigation water during drought season. As a result, farmers ordered less seedlings which affected our profits,” Alan explains.

In 2015 Eugene won the Western Cape DAFF Top Female Entrepreneur Award.
In 2015 Eugene won the Western Cape DAFF Top Female Entrepreneur Award.

Vandalism and theft were also issues Eugene unfortunately could not sidestep. Between 2017 and 2018 she reported 14 cases of vandalism and theft at her local police station. This had a major impact on their business and left Eugene quite despondent.

However, instead of fixing her attention on what she had little control over, Eugene fought hard against the sluggish economy and started a farmer’s market, called “The Market Shed”.

The Market Shed is a diverse market not far from the nursery and gives local entrepreneurs the opportunity to sell and market their produce or products every Saturday. With the Market Shed the entire Simons family gets involved and Eugene’s son Ashton, is known for whipping up a great breakfast at the market. In addition, Eugene, her husband and daughter provides entrepreneurs with marketing skills as well as sales skills. “I also have plans to start a learning centre that will empower and develop skills in the agricultural sector,” Eugene says.

As with many other agripreneurs, Eugene Simons’s road to success shows many failures, pitfalls and disappointments. But, despite crushing rejections and humiliating defeats, she’s determined to grow from strength to strength and plans to acquire 60 to 100-hectare land within the next five years.

“I would like to start planting medicinal plants to enlarge our offering and expand our market,” she adds.

Tags: AgripreneurAlan SimonsAlan’s Veg’sAlgina’s Wholesale NurseryAllison SimonsDAFFEugene SimonsFemale EntrepreneurFirgroveRustenhof farmThe Market ShedWestern Cape DAFF Top Female Entrepreneur Award
Previous Post

The Heritage Day braai commandments according to Unaty and Justin

Next Post

RECIPE: Healthy Banting Oxtail

Duncan Masiwa

Duncan Masiwa

DUNCAN MASIWA is a budding journalist with a passion for telling great agricultural stories. He hails from Macassar, close to Somerset West in the Western Cape, where he first started writing for the Helderberg Gazette community newspaper. Besides making a name for himself as a columnist, he is also an avid poet who has shared stages with artists like Mahalia Buchanan, Charisma Hanekam, Jesse Jordan and Motlatsi Mofatse.

Related Posts

Agripreneur: Learn from a cannabis skincare producer

Agripreneur: Learn from a cannabis skincare producer

by Nicole Ludolph
9th May 2022
0

Cannabis skincare producer, Rozayne Malyo, is flying high with her innovative Think Green range and hopes other agripreneurs will help...

Kopano Makunyane started her journey into herbalism and skincare after experiencing a bad bout of eczema around her 25th birthday. She has developed her own range of three herbal remedies she sells under the Kopano's Apothecary brand

Agripreneur 101: Meet a herbalist

by Nicole Ludolph
21st Mar 2022
0

Kopano Makunyane started her journey into herbalism and skincare after experiencing a bad bout of eczema around her 25th birthday....

Tshepo Ntemane turned his passion for the moringa plant into a tea and supplement line. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Agripreneur 101: Meet a moringa supplement producer

by Nicole Ludolph
9th Nov 2021
0

Tshepo Ntemane’s love affair with the moringa plant started in 2013 and he has turned it into a business since....

Agripreneur Basil Williams with some of the products in his Herbal View range. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Agripreneur 101: Grow your own herbs hydroponically

by Nicole Ludolph
27th Sep 2021
0

Horticulturalist and agripreneur Basil Williams has more than two decades of farming experience. His business, Herbal View Hydroponics, supplies fresh...

Next Post
Fikile Zungu's healthy banting oxtail.

RECIPE: Healthy Banting Oxtail

Leave your comfort zone and make money, says foodie
Catering Company

Leave your comfort zone and start hustling, says foodie

by Vateka Halile
1st Jul 2022
0

MZANSI FLAVOUR: With a hustle and a bustle, Eastern Cape foodie Vuyelwa Makile found ways to alleviate her financial stress....

Read more
Recipe: Make Makile’s crispy chicken wings

Recipe: Make Makile’s crispy chicken wings

1st Jul 2022
Experts have warned farmers to prepare for another steep fuel price increase this month. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Caught in a price spiral: Farmers brace for major losses

1st Jul 2022
Parts of the Western Cape, such as the Central Karoo, are still experiencing drought. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Drought-burdened farmers receive R48m. in fodder

1st Jul 2022
Through his company, Iboyana agri farming, Mhlengi Ngcobo is changing the lives of youth and women in his community. Photo:Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Self-taught farmer doing his bit for the greater good

30th Jun 2022

Leave your comfort zone and start hustling, says foodie

SAAGA on a mission to speak for exploitable graduates

Real Housewife turns passion for wine into a business

Technology not a priority for Africa’s smallholder farmers

Engineer-turned farmer takes pride in good results

Beef up your understanding of SA’s red meat industry

THE NEW FACE OF SOUTH AFRICAN AGRICULTURE

With 11 global awards in the first three years of its existence, Food For Mzansi is much more than an agriculture publication. It is a movement, unashamedly saluting the unsung heroes of South African agriculture. We believe in the power of agriculture to promote nation building and social cohesion by telling stories that are often overlooked by broader society.

SA forestry: Dynamite on a small patch of land

War on veggie meat names ‘to protect consumers’

What to look for when formulating dairy cow rations

Leave your comfort zone and start hustling, says foodie

Recipe: Make Makile’s crispy chicken wings

Caught in a price spiral: Farmers brace for major losses

  • Our Story
  • Contact Us
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Copyright

Contact us
Office: +27 21 879 1824
WhatsApp line: +27 81 889 9032
Marketing: +27 71 147 0388
News: info@foodformzansi.co.za
Advertising: sales@foodformzansi.co.za

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Changemakers
  • Lifestyle
  • Farmer’s Inside Track
  • Food for Thought

Copyright © 2021 Food for Mzansi

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
Go to mobile version