Nompumelelo Gumbi, the founder of Infinity Fine Foods in KwaZulu-Natal, knows what it’s like to face a challenge. When she first decided to sell her homemade products at a market, she arrived filled with hope and excitement, only to go home having sold nothing.
She began to dissect the day with meticulous care. She replayed every interaction, every glance from a potential customer. Was her table inviting? Was her own nervous demeanour turning people away?
Gumbi realised her setup looked amateurish, and the plastic containers she used for her condiments and juices didn’t do her delicious products justice. So this food entrepreneur changed her game plan.
Fuelled by people skills and cooking passion
Before launching Infinity Fine Foods in 2021, Gumbi had a long and successful career in a completely different field. For over 25 years, she was a people manager, specialising in call centre and customer service management. Her background in this field, which began in 1996, taught her valuable skills that she now uses in her own business.
“I am a people manager. I’ve managed different call centres for over 25 years, so that’s been my space: customer service and call centre management,” she says.
“It refined my interpersonal skills, and it’s really benefiting me now because the way I’m able to engage with customers, potential clients, and the way I’m able to engage with potential customers, I think it stems from that background.”
Gumbi emphasises that her experience taught her how to read people and know how to engage with different people. She adds that “kindness goes a long way.” These interpersonal skills have helped her navigate challenges and objections with grace and confidence.
Related stories
- Pumla brings food to life with herbs and spice
- Lafezeka: Natural haircare rooted in power and pride
- Gogo’s fat in a jar! Duo turns tallow into treasure
Creating quality products
Gumbi’s love for cooking and entertaining was the spark that led her to create Infinity Fine Foods. After being retrenched just before the Covid-19 pandemic, she started making three products for her birthday guests, who loved them. This positive feedback inspired her to start selling to friends and family, and eventually, to enter the market space.
Her product line has since grown and evolved. Her bestsellers include homemade lemonades, such as a spiced chai and spiced apple. She has also expanded her condiments to include a bacon jam, roasted paprika pesto, and pineapple chilli jam.
She is not shy about her passion for her craft, constantly experimenting in her kitchen to improve her recipes and create new ones.
“I keep getting these ideas and keep trying them and experimenting. It makes me so happy,” she says with a chuckle.
Gumbi’s commitment to quality is evident in her approach to product development. She thoroughly researches the origins of her ingredients and recipes to ensure her products are authentic and of the highest quality.
“My vision is so colourful in my head that I don’t see a way to turn back now.”
This vision has paid off. One of her proudest moments was winning third place for one of her products at the East Coast Radio Chilli Fest.
Gumbi’s next steps for Infinity Fine Foods include getting her products into the retail space and continuing to expand her product line. Her journey is a testament to the power of persistence, a passion for quality, and a commitment to learning and adapting.
A food entrepreneur’s advice for starting a business:
- Thoroughly know your product. She stresses the importance of researching and understanding everything about what you’re selling.
- Do thorough costing. This ensures you are making a profit.
- Get help. Acknowledge the difficulty of being a solo entrepreneur and seek support from friends, family, or others.
- Be willing to adapt. If something isn’t working, be flexible and find a new way to approach it.
- Don’t give up. There will be slow days and slow months, but Gumbi believes that a stubborn vision will carry you through.
ALSO READ: Family roots inspire Limpopo cousins’ rise in organic farming
