The Herald
Flora Fadzai Sibanda Bulawayo Bureau
STORIES are meant to be shared. The late popular American poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou hit the nail on the head when she said: “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”
For 26-year-old Bulawayo young entrepreneur, Mr Naison Zivanai (26) of Nkulumane suburb, making juice from baobab fruit has been her biggest story.
While it is the norm for most youths to hunt for jobs upon graduating from university, Mr Zivanai’s script read differently.
After graduating with a degree in banking and finance at the National University of Science and Technology (Nust) in 2020, Mr Zivanai decided to start a fruit producing company: On Top Of the Game (OTOG), which he established during his second year at university. The company distributes about 2 000 bottles of baobab fruit juice every month.
The young entrepreneur produces a variety of baobab fruit juices at his home factory and supplies local supermarkets and individuals.
The drinks come in five different flavours. The company has opened opportunities for more than 15 youths who are using his brand to showcase their talents.
Mr Zivanai said he has always been an entrepreneur at heart, which is why he did not bother to look for employment upon completing his studies.
The cornerstone of his success was being really frugal in the beginning. Mr Zivanai embarking on the journey was somewhat difficult as some of his family members and friends tried to discourage him.
Growing up in an environment that exposed him to business, Mr Zivanai said he was inspired by her mother, a small-scale businesswoman, to develop an entrepreneurial spirit at a young age.
To raise capital, Mr Zivanai started off as a temporary teacher at a college in the city.
The business venture expanded after he entered into a partnership with his three friends who injected more money.
He said they started by introducing baobab freezits so that people could familiarise themselves with the product.
“That was the worst business decision that we took because we ran at a loss as the money that we got from the sales did not tally with our projections and we failed to make a profit,” said Mr Zivanai.
Mr Zivanai and his friends did not give up, and instead, they resorted to producing baobab fruit juices and in no time, they penetrated the market.
Their products are found in big supermarkets in Bulawayo.
“When we discovered that business was moving, we approached big supermarkets and that is how we managed to penetrate the market. We are now at a point where we are making an average of 2 000 bottles a month which we distribute to different markets,” said Mr Zivanai.
The company has since opened business opportunities for other youths in Bulawayo who are now into designing the company’s logo and labels for the brand.
Some have been engaged as marketers of the products.
“There is a lot of raw talent in Bulawayo and as a way of addressing that issue l have roped in 15 youths who are assisting us in terms of designing labels, and logos as well as marketing our products,” said Mr Zivanai.
He said they intend to expand the business.
“The process of establishing a name for yourself in business is a long process that requires patience. However, there is more to learn in failure than success,” said Mr Zivanai.
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December 29, 2022 at 05:22AM
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26-year-old man thrives in juice business - The Herald
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