11 Aug 2016

Preserving summer fruits in jams and marmalades is a tradition for many. 

In most cases, the secret of the preserves would be based on that 100 year-old recipe often handed down from grandmother to mother.

By producing her own signature marmalade jam, Ms Kesaobaka Ndovie joined a number of those who have kept that legacy alive.

The director of Director of Pasta World, located in Tlokweng, also helped create employment, at the same time reducing the influx of imported goods.

Ms Ndovie focused on using oranges and sugar to produce the jam, which had a tangy orange flavour. 

She was planning to advance her company to incorporate production of strawberry jam, peach jam and other flavors.

“At the moment we produce from 1 000 to 1 500 cans (450g) of jam per day and we supply Choppies Stores which we have a contract with,” she said, adding that her company was in the process of supplying schools and other retail stores.

To start the project, Ms Ndovie said she used her family’s savings account with the intention of consulting financial  institutions, such as CEDA and the department of  gender affairs for financial assistance to help expand her business.

The company employed four women and two men. 

Nonetheless she appreciated the challenges that came with running the business describing them as an eye opener. 

She highlighted production challenges, among them, oranges not producing enough juice to meet the expected production.

Although she did not have any formal education on business, she used the internet to learn what her line of business entailed. “You can learn a lot from the internet and books, I bought a lot books from Cape Town in South Africa that deals with production of marmalade jam,” she said.

She said by reading a lot, her curiosity and interest in the jam production business developed to another level.

On the health aspect of her product, she said it was fundamental for consumers to consult their medical doctors to ensure that all food products that they ate were commensurate with their health status and their prescribed medication.

“It is durable for everyone but I would advise whoever is on special medication to consult their medical practitioners to satisfy themselves that marmalade is compliant with the prescribed medication,” she said. Ends