Thanthwe farms was established in 2013. It is into horticulture and agro-processing business. The Managing Director Ngabaghila Chatata tells us more about her incredible journey and how they received support from Malawi Investment and Trade Centre (MITC).
Tell us a brief background about Thanthwe Farms?
My name is Ngabaghila Chatata, Managing Director of Thanthwe Farms. We are into horticulture business-that is growing and processing of agro-products. We started the business in 2013 ever since we have been growing. Currently we have a number of products that we are producing like different herbal teas including Hibiscus Tea and Lemon grass Tea. We also do spices like turmeric, rosemary and mint. Recently, we have started producing fruit jams and juices. We do also produce dried fruits like mangoes.
We currently have 20 permanent employees and we employ about 60 every year on temporary basis.
Are you currently exporting?
We are currently supplying the domestic market but actively looking for international markets. There are high prospects in countries like Mozambique and South Africa. We are currently sending samples to these potential markets at the same time we are also pursuing certification for the export market.
How has MITC helped your business grow?
It’s been an amazing journey. We’ve had a huge amount of support from the MITC team. From help with export procedures and documentation through trainings in export, to introducing us to relevant contacts in our target markets. We have also participated in the trade fairs, courtesy of MITC- where we were able to meet a lot of buyers and hear what they are looking for, that helps us to improve our products.
Talking of trade fairs, you participated in the Intra African Trade Fair in Durban in 2021, how important was that fair to you as a business?
Attending the IATF with MITC was a great opportunity for us to really connect with international buyers and distributors in a way we wouldn’t have been able to do alone. It was a very important intervention as it was an eye opener. The fair was a good hands-on experience of meeting relevant distributors and talking to potential buyers in a country that we are targeting to penetrate with our products. In addition, we were also able to see other SMEs showcasing their products, so that gave us knowledge and insights on how we should position ourselves in the market for export.
So what were the gains for you at the IATF 2021?
As I said we have prospects that are looking at buying our teas, our fruits. They all came from that. I have met them and they saw our products and that made a difference and now we are sending them samples. I am optimistic that these prospects will materialise one day.
What’s the importance of working with institutions like MITC in these trade fairs?
It is all about the technical support. You know there is a language that is spoken in the trade space and there is a language that we speak as SMEs. So when you are interacting with MITC it’s like you have a big brother that is holding your hand. And for the challenges you meet-like when we were at the IATF we could have meetings with prospective buyers and the MITC team was always around and helping us understand the requirements and this helped us to progress our discussions with certain key decision makers that were present at the fair. So it really helps.
Do you have any advice for businesses that are hesitant to participate in trade fairs?
Actually they are missing a lot. For me it’s also the peer support that you get because there was Perisha [Agro], there was Nali [Limited]. We learnt a lot and now when I have a challenge I can easily ask colleagues from Nali for example to say how you went about this kind of challenge. So it’s a network that we need to tap into as SMEs. If we are ready to grow. Because sometimes maybe people are not ready to grow and also I have heard a lot of SMEs say its short notice, an entrepreneur that is ready to grow should always be ready to tap into opportunities. Opportunities are for grabbing, you don’t wait.
Some say they don’t see the value of working with MITC, based on your experience what is your comment?
I would say that they should reconsider their thoughts because for us beyond the international linkages they have also linked us with local buyers. They have introduced us with Shoprite Malawi. Currently we have a contract and we will be sending the first order. We were supported by MITC on this. So I think it’s something that we need to tap into and we’ve also been linked to EDF –we are talking about financing. So as I said, they are the big brother that you need as an SME if you are on a path to grow!