When unemployment made it difficult for her family to make ends meet, Trudy Sindane of Vlaklaagte, KwaMhlanga, Mpumalanga, learned that the land could offer more than just a place to grow up.
Watching her grandparents turn their backyard into a source of food planted a seed that would later take root in her own life. Today, Sindane is the founder of NSMH Pty Ltd, a chilli sauce business that has taken her from childhood lessons in backyard food production to becoming a businesswoman.
Using the land to build a future
After matric, Sindane learned first-hand how difficult unemployment can be in Mzansi. Although she wanted to further her studies, her family’s financial situation made it difficult.
Growing up with a single mother, Joyce Sindane, who had never had a stable job, also meant that things were not easy at home. Sindane took whatever work she could find, including administrative work and other temporary jobs, to gain experience and earn an income.
“I was grateful for every opportunity, but unfortunately, those jobs did not last forever,” she says. “Eventually, those piece jobs came to an end, and I found myself unemployed again.”
During this time, Sindane began thinking about her grandparents, especially her grandfather, Mvimbi Sindane. He used to tell her mother that even if he could not leave his children with material possessions, he was leaving them with agricultural skills and land they could use to ensure they never went to bed hungry.
“His message was that nobody was coming to save them, and if they wanted something in life, they had to work for it and make something out of what they had.”
In 2020, Sindane started growing chillies, including hot varieties, as well as green peppers, spinach, cabbage and carrots in her family’s backyard, which measures about 30 X 30 metres.
“It has not always been easy. There have been challenges, setbacks, and difficult seasons, but the farming has continued to grow, and I have learnt from each setback and challenge.”
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Bottling a family legacy
A year later, Sindane took another step, using her homegrown chillies to make chilli sauce following her late grandmother Martha Sindane’s recipe. Although she registered her company in 2024, she spent time perfecting the recipe and asking family and friends to taste the sauce and share their feedback.
The process starts with growing and harvesting the chillies, which take about three months to mature. She then cooks and blends them into the sauce, adding basil and parsley she also grows in her garden. Sindane produces two varieties, mild and hot, a distinction she learned from her grandmother.
A challenge she faces is getting her products tested and approved. “I have a challenge with getting everything approved and with my products getting tested, although I applied a while ago,” she says.
Sindane hopes to see her chilli sauce on retail shelves one day. For now, she sells within her community and surrounding areas. She also attends farmers’ markets and agriculture-related events to meet people, network and grow her customer base.
Building a business for the future
Another challenge is the lack of funding. Demand for her chilli sauce increases during certain seasons, particularly summer, but she struggles to produce enough to meet customers’ needs. She believes funding would help her increase production and get her products onto retail shelves.
She also hopes to employ permanent workers to help grow the chillies, process the sauce and market the products. To reach this goal, she says the business needs machinery and office equipment.
For Sindane, growing a food business requires persistence, consistency and a willingness to learn.
She shares the following advice with other food producers and brand owners:
- Be prepared to work hard. Building a business takes time and commitment.
- Stay consistent. Keep working towards your goals, even when progress is slow.
- Do not be afraid to try. You may fail, but trying gives you a chance to learn and improve.
- Research your product. Understand what you are making, who your customers are and what the market needs.
- Never give up. Learn from setbacks and keep looking for ways to improve your business.
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