When Anga Mzozo, co-founder of winning business AL Winery in the Existing Business: Social Impact category said Bye Nana at the end of her pitch at the 6th EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity 2024 National Finals, it quicky became a catch phrase for the audience.
Bananas are at the core of her business. She turns them into wine.
The 24 year-old Umzimkhulu born and raised microbiology and biochemistry student at the University of Zululand impressed judges with her unique idea to make a non-alcoholic wine using the fruit.
She began her presentation: “Could sustainability be hidden in the fruit we throw away? We take overripe bananas and turn them into wine.”
From left, Ms Anga Mzozo and her partner and co-founder of AL Winery, Ms Lehlogonolo Mogashoa.
The co-founder of AL Winery and her partner Lehlogonolo Mogashoa use their shared passion for science and innovation to tackle pressing challenges in their community.
She said: “In south Africa, over half the population lives in poverty with many relying on selling fresh produce. South Africa discards 20 000+ tons of bananas annually leading to both economic loss and environmental issues.
“At AL Winery we purchase the overripe bananas for R1.50 instead of the initial price of R3, helping street vendors avoid losses.”
Those overripe bananas are then transformed into refreshing non-alcoholic banana wine through a simple eco-friendly process, she said.
Each bottle is priced at R60 and, so far, she has sold 124 bottles, generating a revenue of R7 440. “And through our efforts we have been able to repurpose 67kg of bananas and reduced carbon emissions by 21kg.”
Mzozo said they had received a R140 000 sponsorship but needed an additional R160 000 to cover future overheads like equipment, rent, warehousing and marketing.
“With that, we project selling at least 30 000 bottles a year – that will generate us a sales revenue of R1.8-m.”
Additional income streams included B2B (Business to Business), B2C (Business to Consumer) partnerships as well as hosting consumer events. “Our market strategies include social media and influencers to build our brand visibility – and also strengthen our partnerships and collaborations.”
She is the oldest of four siblings. Her mother is a waste manager at the Umzimkhulu municipality, her father is a principal at ekuKhanyeni secondary school.
The idea for her business started as a class project in food microbiology. While doing the research, she noticed the waste problem caused by overripe bananas and realised their potential for wine production. It evolved into a sustainable business to reduce food waste and support street vendors.
Origins of Bye Nana
“The catchphrase Bye-Nana: Lehlogonolo and I brainstormed phrases that highlight saying goodbye to waste and giving bananas a second life,” Mzozo went on to say.
“I feel proud and fulfilled knowing our project is making a real impact. It’s exciting to see how it supports local vendors and reduces waste while inspiring others. At the same time, I feel motivated and responsible to keep growing this idea and creating more change. It’s been challenging, but every step has been rewarding.”
She said they wanted to expand their retail and commercial footprint to ensure that AL Wineries produce was available nationwide. “At AL Wineries, we believe in turning waste into opportunity, fostering sustainability while building sustainable communities. Together we can redefine sustainability one bottle at a time. Bye Nana.”
Questions and Answers
Judge Zanele Matome, Founder & CEO, Welo Health: How much are you raising? Where will it get you?
Mzozo: We had the opportunity to sell 800 bottles but we could not produce that because we don’t have the right automated machinery and we need a bigger operational space.
Judge Martin Matshego (left), Head of Investment Readiness, Fetola: Let’s talk about the IP.
Mzozo: We are currently working with our Research and Innovation department to make sure that our IP is protected. We are preparing all the certification needed to secure our IP. At the moment it is just me and my partner Lehlogonolo Mogashoa, 50/50 partners.
Judge Martin: Do you have any letters of intent? And do you have anyone who wants to buy your products?
Mzozo: Yes, we do. We are working with the Law Clinic to help us with the legal side of our business. No, we don’t have interested buyers currently. We mainly have people who want to invest in our business.
Judge Matshego: I am one of them. But you need to quantify who will buy your product. You could get large sums of investment, buy all the bananas out there, and end up sitting with a wine-rack of wine. You need to develop your market which I assume is not your area of competency. You might need to bring in someone to do that for you – sales agents, locally or internationally.
Judge Zakheni Ngubo: Chief Executive Officer, Blankett Technologies Group: Is there an option for an alcoholic version of the banana wine?
Mzozo: There is definitely room for an alcoholic version. It’s one of the reasons we want more funding to be able to afford the licencing processes.
Charmain Naidoo is a contract writer for Universities South Africa.