Khauhelo Lefoka never intended to make a living out of producing yoghurt blends. As one of the many South Africans who lost their jobs to the Covid-19 pandemic, he started selling yoghurt as a side hustle, and soon realised just how much opportunity there is in the industry.
With a background in information technology, Lefoka never predicted that he would end up in the agro-processing space. 2020 Was a tough year for the agripreneur, who struggled to find work in his field during that period.
“At that time, my fiancé was pregnant and nothing was coming forward. I decided I need to do something in the meantime, and my mother was the one that told me to start selling something. So I decided to start selling yoghurt.”
Lefoka took on reselling yoghurt as a side hustle, but soon he realised he could do more in the dairy space. He started thinking about how he could make his own brand and opted to buy yoghurt from the supplier and brand it himself.
“That’s how the name ‘Moghurt’ actually came into play. It is actually a combination of my son’s name, Mogau, and the yoghurt I was selling at the time.”
Venturing into manufacturing took place a bit later because the risk posed by load shedding was too high at that point. He explains that they continued as resellers for the better part of 2020 when they also sold other dairy products like ice cream desserts.
From resellers to manufacturers
As a reseller, Lefoka would go to social events to sell his yoghurt products. These events were few and far between, however, because of the Covid-19 lockdowns. This, he says, is what pushed them towards manufacturing their own products under the Moghurt brand.
“We produced the Moghurt dairy blend, and that’s been our bread and butter ever since. We are working with the hope of revitalising the production of yoghurt and ice cream at a later stage.”
Moving from being resellers to manufacturers has been fraught with challenges, says Lefoka. Funding has been their biggest issue, as they need to upscale their business in order to access commercial markets and expand their brand. Currently, they sell their product to spaza shops in Katlehong, Gauteng.
“The product that we produce is one people can actually live without. So, when they buy your product is like a luxury for them, for lack of a better word. On top of that, you still need to compete with other producers or larger corporates that have been in the game for more than 100 years, and you must ensure you bring out a quality product as well. “
Aiming for the top
Despite these challenges, Lefoka is determined to succeed. He says his main motivation for continuing with the building of his yoghurt blend business is his son.
“I want to create to legacy for my son. That’s the one thing that keeps me driven each and every single day. I simply cannot give up on that basis. Also, beyond that, how people have been receiving the brand in the little community that I am in, has been very positive. With people just living the product, it shows that we are doing good work.”
Lefoka says he has big plans for his business. In the next five years, he hopes not only to expand the product line but also to get into the commercial market and even the international market.
“We are currently doing the dairy thing, but we are going to be producing yoghurts, cordial juices, and ice creams as well. In the next five years, we’re looking at least employing 30 people.”
Citing Tropika as their competition, Lefoka explains that he is aiming for a 20% share in the yoghurt blend market. He wants his product to be easily accessible and to expand beyond the informal market.
“So, in the next five years, we still have a lot of work to do. Some people say it’s too ambitious, but with the right communication and the stakeholders that are coming in, I think it’s doable.”
Lefoka’s advice for aspiring agripreneurs:
Do your research
Sometimes the research will overwhelm you, but it’s good to do that research. So bear in mind what you’re working towards, and so you’ll be able to mitigate risks or find solutions for problems in time.
Just start
Eventually, you need to start and it’s a journey. We are not here to rush, or to become millionaires by tomorrow. It’s going to be a journey.
Roll with the punches
There are going to be unforeseen circumstances. For instance, when we started off, we never thought that we’d have KZN looting or KZN floods, or the war in Russia. All these things have impacted the running of the business. Load shading has also had a major impact. If you’re going to rely solely on your research, that can also be a stumbling block. So you need to be able to roll with the punches.
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