Rosina Letsoala Kgatla is a farmer and food processor by trade and distinction.
She single-handedly runs her company N.M Broadry and she has won several provincial awards for her outstanding work in processing food, some of which she farms herself.
Speaking to the HERALD, Rosina explained her humble beginnings of farming and the epic failures she had in making jam which never materialised as jam, but an incomplete substance that tasted like jam.
“I used to try and make jam using Marula but it was always liquid and I would make so much that I used to take some to my relatives in buckets,” she told the HERALD also mentioning that the relatives did not have a problem with the liquid jam because they did not know how it was supposed to be like. Rosina met up with the HERALD with a container full of bottles of different processed foods she had made herself using fruits from her farm.
“I have here, a Moringa and Marula Jam, Marula Atchar, Marula hot chilli, Marula Juice and other Marula items.”
“Unfortunately the Marula Chutney does not last in my stock as everyone wants it,” said the confident entrepreneur.
Rosina explained that before she became a full time farmer and food processor she used to be a boxing coach to young learners.
She explained that when she was still a coach, she also loved farming and tried making jam.
“I used to make liquid jam for my boxers when were away on boxing tournaments. The kids did not have a problem with it, however, I knew something was wrong but did not know what,” she said. “I had a car accident in 2014 and could no longer be a coach because my arm and back were seriously injured. I did not want to sit and sulk so I decided to make jam by cooking Marula fruit,” she said.
Rosina explained that making jam and all the other things she makes, she was never taught by anyone. “I am self taught and it took me some time to learn how to process the perfect jam,” she explained.
She explained that since 2014 she has taught herself so much more.
“I realised that everyone were doing these things, and I had to do it differently to succeed. I am doing a lot of things with different flavours and it took a lot of perseverance for me to be where I am now,” explained Rosina. However, Rosina said that she faces so many challenges in marketing her business, “I do attend shows at some places but I struggle finding where and when shows will be held.”
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She said that she has since joined a WhatsApp group where they are supposed to inform each other on where the next show, to exhibit their things, will be, but the problem is the group is in Afrikaans and she does not know how to read nor understand the language.
If it is not the challenge of trying to make meaning of what the message is saying, Rosina also faces the challenge of finding incubator programmes to assist her in running her business.
“I would love to learn more about my trade, but I do not know where to even apply. I grew up not knowing anything and I had to teach myself how to make Marula Juice, jam, and later chillies and everything I make. I have many more plans in mind and I think I just need some training to accomplish it,” she stated.
Rosina’s jam and juice have recently been approved by the SABS and she hopes that soon people will be buying her products in big retail shops.
She also employs five full time employees and has three casual employees on a weekly basis. If not farming of the fruit, Rosina drives to Johannesburg to purchase the bottles for her packaging.
She also explained that her current target market was tourists entering the Kruger National Park. Her products are affordable and widely known in the Magoebaskloof region.
