As we close out the year, IOL News has been looking at a few entrepreneurs who have inspired us and have made us want to showcase their business and who they are as people.
One such entrepreneur is Valentia Chokoe. The 34-year-old businesswoman is the founder and owner of Hunadi Malope Catering Services.
Chokoe is also a beneficiary of Momentum Metropolitan and MyDough's incubator programme.
Originally from Polokwane, Chokoe said she was surrounded by entrepreneurs growing up. She was raised by a family that owned a small spaza shop.
Chokoe said that she has entrepreneurship in her blood, and cites her family's shop as where her love for business first developed.
Her catering service is now available in Atteridgeville in Pretoria.
PASSION FOR COOKING
She said that her journey to entrepreneurship began when the company she worked for relocated.
"Unfortunately I couldn't go with them as I had just given birth, so I decided to take my passion for cooking and turn it into something profitable,“ she said.
“That's when I started to advertise my catering business. I started following prominent people who are within the same industry to gain insight and direction on what to improve and also how to unlock more opportunities. I attended short courses to equip me in managing my business.”
It should be noted that Chokoe obtained a baking qualification from The Knead Baking School and has also completed a food safety management training course from the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA).
Chokoe said that the spark to start her home-based catering services began when she saw the delight her meals brought to those who tasted it.
“It gives me great pleasure to see people enjoy the food I make.”
She said that the next step for her business was to have a restaurant where people could go and enjoy delicious meals.
“I'm also looking into collaborating with different organisations as their primary supplier,” Chokoe said.
“I’m a businesswoman prepared for any hiccup in business. From having gas ovens in case of load shedding to strategies preventing client poaching. I have a plan for problem-solving that involves research and experiments.”
Chokoe emphasised the importance of customer service and knowledge of the catering industry such as organisational and time management skills.
She prides herself on spending time on focusing on recipe development to compliment her diverse menu that caters to different cultures, allergies, vegetarians, vegans, and religious dietary needs.
IOL NEWS