Annah Lelimo turned her back on a career in chemical engineering to start Thabong Bakery, and 22 years later she is still baking.
Lelimo has always been a very analytical and technical person, and this was one of the reasons why she initially chose a career in chemical engineering.
She says she was captivated by the idea of owning a business from the age of 16 years.
“Starting a baking business was an obvious choice for me because I spent a lot of time baking alongside my mother as a child.”
Lelimo says her knowledge of che-mistry has been crucial in helping her grow the business. “Making the perfect bread requires knowledge about heat dynamics and chemical reactions. You need to know how to mix ingredients for the perfect result, and even how to rescue a loaf from load shedding.”
Her engineering qualification also came in handy when it came to equipping her kitchen. Lelimo explains that she did not have money for all the equipment she needed, so she used her understanding of thermodynamics to build them. Her proofer, for example, was fashioned from a metal box with an element she placed inside, creating the perfect machine for raising bread.
When Lelimo first started baking she baked scones and mosbolletjies in her own kitchen.
These are crowd pleasers which provide high profit margins, and to diversify her product range, she added cupcakes and biscuits.
She was able to create jobs by recruiting unemployed youths to sell her baked goods door to door. To increase her customer base, she approached stores to stock her products.
The idea to focus primarily on bread came after the Covid-19 pandemic.
The business was facing tough times after Lelimo lost a major contract, and after ceasing operations for two months, she decided that she could not carry on without income from her business.
“Fortunately, I had made a habit of reinvesting all my profits over the years. I told myself that I had started out small and I could start again, and I did.”
Lelimo started baking 100 loaves a day, hoping that she would increase this to 1 000 loaves in five years. She has more than exceeded this goal, and after three years Lelimo now bakes 3 000 loaves a day.
Her goal it to see her bakery awarded an SABS accreditation so that customers are assured they are buying the very best bread, free from additives and preservatives.
“I want to be more than just a bread maker. I want to be known as the baker of choice.” – Angelique Goodall
Vista has introduced a new initiative to highlight and promote the true blue entrepreneurs in our communities.
Kasi Hustlers will showcase the brilliant and entrepreneurial minds who have adapted to survive in the prevailing poor economic conditions. Contact Nonkululeko Ngubeni on 057-35-71304.
