In a story that shines a light on Mzansi ingenuity, Maneli Pets, a Johannesburg-based pet food manufacturer, has turned the challenge of rolling blackouts into an opportunity for sustainable growth.
Founded in 2016 by Harvard-trained entrepreneur Nhlanhla Dlamini, Maneli Pets faced a major hurdle: their energy-intensive production process couldn’t withstand the constant power cuts plaguing the country. “Our business would not survive another 12 months with constant rolling blackouts,” Dlamini said. “We had to find an alternative solution.”
But Dlamini, ever the problem-solver, refused to give up. “We started installing solar panels in 2018 but required funding to conclude the process,” he explains. “Banks are not open to those types of requests, particularly for SMMEs.”
Enter Shoprite Next Capital, the small business development arm of the Shoprite Group. Recognising Maneli Pets’ potential, they provided the crucial financial assistance needed to finalise the solar power system. This included installing a powerful inverter and battery, giving Maneli Pets the autonomy they craved.
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The results are nothing short of transformative. The solar system generates enough power to keep production running during most load shedding stages, as Dlamini explains, “enough to run production during stage 1 to stage 5 and partially during stage 6 load shedding.”
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The new solar system stores enough juice (200 kilowatt-hours) in the battery and can crank out 100 kilowatts of power per hour thanks to the inverter. This ensures consistent product quality and a return to full capacity for the company’s 60 employees.
Dlamini’s vision extends beyond weathering blackouts. The newfound energy independence allows Maneli Pets to expand, potentially creating even more jobs. This is a win not just for Maneli Pets, but for the country’s burgeoning green economy.
Maneli Pets was onboarded by the Shoprite Group in 2021, initially in just five Checkers stores in the Western Cape. The demand for their 100% natural pet treats and snacks grew so fast that the business was supplying to over 200 stores within less than a year and is now available at all Checkers stores nationwide.
His story is an inspiration to entrepreneurs everywhere. It’s a testament to the power of human determination, coupled with a dash of sunshine, to overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges.
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