How this entrepreneur turned R200 into R20 million
Pick n Pay has announced the winner of its 2018 Small Supplier of the Year award, giving the title to local entrepreneur Portia Mngomezulu, founder of Portia M Skin Solutions.
According to the retail group, the annual award recognises its top performing small supplier in the country across various categories.
Mngomezulu began using Marula oil to treat scarring following pregnancy, and wanted to share the successes of the treatment with others.
According to Pick n Pay, the budding business owner initially invested as little as R200 to source some of the Marula oil directly from rural Limpopo, which she then bottled herself and began selling as a side-business.
The profit she made on each bottle was then reinvested into her business.
“Fast forward to today, Portia has created a skincare range of 12 products for both men and women, is in the process of launching her baby range of five products, and employs 27 full-time staff.
“In the last 24 months and through Pick n Pay alone, her business has generated over R20 million in sales. This excludes the products she has sold through her online shop, other retailers, and independent pharmacies,” the group said.
As part of her entrepreneurial journey, Mngomezulu studied a supplier development programme at GIBS, and worked to secure her product on retailer shelves, and toured South Africa with Absa’s Women in Business seminar, where she was invited to meet with a health and beauty buyer.
Initially her products were placed in 20 corporate and family stores in 2015. Between 2016 and 2017 her sales jumped by nearly 2000% as the store list expanded nationally. She is now in 432 stores and her sales are already up 61% this year.
Last year’s Pick n Pay Small Supplier of the Year title was awarded to Bernard Nortjie, owner of Dessertworx, the national supplier for Pick n Pay’s dessert range. In 2016, co-owners Zoegdie and Bilqees Essa from Comessa Food Service clinched the award for the impressive growth of their Tortilla Affairs range of flatbreads, rotis and naan.
“Sustained on-going support across various disciplines is crucial for a small business to succeed,” said Mishinga Seyuba Kombo, manager of Pick n Pay’s Enterprise & Supplier Development Programme.
“We work closely with our small suppliers to provide them with the opportunity to put their products in front of the customer through our stores.
“The success of the programme is evident from seeing many of our suppliers expand across our network and beyond to service other retailers and sectors. This growth is not only encouraging for their business, but for the communities they serve and the jobs they are able to create.”
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