A young businesswoman is fusing fiery Durban cuisine, with the unique taste of Kasi’s favourite Kota, bringing two continental giants together, and making a huge success from it.

Through hard work and determination, Neliswa Mntungwa is able to turn her passions into income and wants to share her success with others who have fallen victim of societal challenges such as unemployment. The 30-year-old mother from Imbali, is the founder of K2N Holdings Pty (Ltd.), a food company situated in Pelham, Pietermaritzburg.

‘Kota 2 Nice’ sets up food stalls at various events or functions where talent and passion for cuisine is showcased by offering a wide range of kasi inspired foods with a touch of elegance – giving people a unique taste of eKasi.

The idea to start K2N Holdings stemmed from an event called ‘Chilla Nathi Cookout Experience’. The monthly lifestyle event hosts family friendly picnics and cookout sceneries where people are enthused by arts, crafts, fashion and mostly food. It takes place in Pietermaritzburg and is a great social event where foodies and fashionistas enjoy the ambiance of the market; most importantly giving entrepreneurs a chance to put their businesses out there.

“The K2N concept derives from me seeing the lack of job opportunities for graduates and the situation getting worse in our economy. I wanted to establish something for two of my former classmates, at the time, which would help provide some sort of income,” said the culinarian.

Although many entrepreneurs face the issue of a lack of capital, Mntungwa has managed to fund her business through her savings and relies on company profits to grow it even further.

Emphasizing the importance of turning passion into income, the businesswoman believes that people are more confident doing what they love and what they are good at. “Self-knowledge is a journey but it has been the key for me to understand my own weaknesses and capitalizing on my strengths.”

Mnungtwa enjoys playing around with different flavours when making her meals, and so far the responses have been positive. Engaging with people who visit the stalls also gives her insight on where to improve, therefore helping her market the business even further.

Weighing in on the role that well-established businesses can play in the growth of start-ups, Mntungwa believes that established businesses can assist by providing funding and loans for businesses like hers. However, she urges young entrepreneurs to use government resources as they are available to assist in starting up businesses. With that said, she admits that funds can be difficult to obtain especially without a solid business plan.

Email Melissa at: kota2nice@gmail.com or call +27 74 733 3810 for more details.

~ jess@ngcoboempire.co.za