Business: Lemmechew Foods

Sector: Food Sector

Quote: “Looking at where we started, and where are today, we are very proud of our progress, but we are looking to achieve far much more, reach many more homes, and create many more employment opportunities. I want to see us exporting our product and becoming an international brand”.

Katlego Suze took a plunge and left her corporate job at the beginning of 2020 to pursue her dream of owning and running her own business on a full-time basis. Little did she know that less than two months later, the whole world would have to come face to face with the none before imagined impact of COVID-19. “Had I known that Covid 19 would have such an impact on our lives, I don’t believe I would have left my job at the time I did. At the same time, I am still glad I did” she says. Despite venturing into full-time business at possibly the worst period, Katlego’s business, Lemmechew Foods has persevered.

Katlego started the business in 2018 as a home-based business in Atteridgeville with a focus on food manufacturing.

“I studied Hospitality Management, and I am a professional chef with a certificate from the Steyn Culinary School, but I spent most of my professional life as a Loans Consultant. You can only imagine how I yearned to venture into my passion throughout my eight years working as a Loans Consultant”, she recalls.

Lemmechew Foods started as a catering business for corporate and private events. The business also sold venison, and health shakes. They also conducted cooking classes for kids. In 2019 Katlego pursued an idea to produce Lemmechew chilli sauce in three flavours, manufacturing and bottling the products from her home. “I knew that there were many other producers of food sauces out there and consumers have loads of choices however as a trained chef, my focus and goal was to produce a product that would be of exceptional quality, a premium product at affordable rates, something tasty yet healthy, without preservatives and artificial flavour enhancing additives such as monosodium glutamate commonly referred to as MSG”, she says.

The biggest challenge that faced the business was a lack of adequate equipment which made it difficult to keep up with growing orders. “This made us reluctant to take large orders even though interest in our products was growing” explains Suze.

She approached GEP for support firstly from the Township Business Renewal (TBR) and later for Covid Relief Fund for Manufacturers. From the TBR fund, the business received a stove, sealing machine and cooker hood. Funding from the Covid Relief Fund was used to purchase ingredients and packaging materials such as bottles. In 2022 the business received assistance with marketing tools in the form of banners, tablecloths, and vehicle branding and has recently approached GEP for growth finance.

Katlego’s perseverance and eye for opportunity have paid off, the business now trades from the Sunderland Ridge Industrial Park. LemmeChew employs six full time staff and is in a process of employing product promoters. Their products are now found in large retailers including Shoprite, OK Grocer, and OBC Meat and Chicken among others. “The growing uptake of our product is a huge testament to its quality and the commitment of my team to produce world-class products. Shoprite has a network of over 2000 stores and that is a very big opportunity for us” explains Katlego.

Katlego has achieved impressive milestones, but still harbours dreams of greater success. “Looking at where we started, and where are today, we are very proud of our progress, but we are looking to achieve far much more, reach many more homes, and create many more employment opportunities. I want to see us exporting our product and becoming an international brand”, she concludes.