By: Sizakele Nduli
Agri-processing business Ready Chopped Veggies was born out of a need for convenience for its owner, who needed to cut down on time in the kitchen while ensuring healthy meals for her family. This sparked an idea for Botshelo Charmain Huma, who juggled work with being a mom, to start a pre-cut vegetable business in 2020 for people who wanted a range of healthy meals without breaking a sweat. “Trying to find the balance of being a working mom and wife led me to not [want] to spend a lot of time in the kitchen after a long day. So, I needed to feed my family healthy, balanced meals without the hassle of preparing the vegetables,” Huma said.
Despite having a business that cuts down time for customers and promotes healthy eating habits, Huma still found herself on the verge of giving up. told Vutivi News that managing the business alone, combined with limited funds and people stealing her brand, left her feeling less motivated to keep her business going. “People would post as if it’s their work and advertise as if it’s their work. There has [also] been incidences where people even stole the name,” Huma said, adding that although the idea of pre-cut veggies was not new to major retailers, she approached it differently. Today, Huma, who was born and raised in Rustenburg in the North West, operates her business in Pretoria. She offers delivery services for bulk or group orders but encourages nearby residents to collect their orders from the shop.
Huma said that keeping her business afloat required more people to order and purchase her products, in addition to getting retail outlets or government institutions to offer her business a contract that would help her to sustain it over time. What sets her business apart is that her she prioritises freshness by not having all veggies pre-cut in advance to ensure that her customers receive products prepared on the same day, preserving their nutritional value and taste. She goes the extra mile by offering tips on preserving colour and essential nutrients of the veggies before storing them in the freezer. “Our packaging allows one to use the desired amount of veggies, then reseal and refrigerate after you’ve opened it. It means you don’t have to finish the contents all at once and throw the packaging away as most retailers do with chopped veggies,” she said.
Huma currently does not have full-time employees who help in the day-to-day running of the business, but she works with an individual who comes in when needed. She said that in the near future she aimed to franchise the brand to expand accessibility. She also hopes to create employment opportunities and positively impact people’s lives through her business. “Speak up, seek help. Don’t stop networking because you’ll never know where your next big client might come from,” Huma advised.
