By Sisipho Pinyana
Loyisa Manga is making waves with his Ubuntu Extra Virgin Olive Oil with a Makhandan connection. Born in Kariega (then Uitenhage), Manga spent his holidays in Makhanda on his father’s farm, not knowing that one day he would be an agricultural entrepreneur himself.
In 2017, tired and exhausted from work at an insurance company, Manga decided he wanted to start his own business, but wanted to do something that he loved and desired. Agriculture and agribusiness already ran in the family.
But olive oil was not his first option. “I first wanted to sell wine or gin but saw that the market was oversaturated with those two where there are many people selling those items,” Manga said.
He then went to a farmer who had an olive grove and was motivated by the farmer saying “If I was a Black man and business-minded, I would start this business”. He took those words to heart and forged an arrangement to sell olive oil under his own unique label.
Manga also wanted to own his own farm, but things did not work out as planned. After searching for two years, he designed his own brand and label and self-funded his business. The idea of creating generational wealth is a great motivator for him. Being the first Black-owned olive oil label in South Africa, he says after you have started something, always work to finish it even though you get tired and feel like giving up.
Four phrases that he said have carried him towards success in business are work smarter, have a hunger for success, dive in deep, and go over and above.
Manga’s Ubuntu Extra Virgin Olive Oil won an award at the prestigious 2019 SA Olive Awards and also won a Gold Award at the World Olive Oil Competition in 2019. It is on sale at Woolworths.
