In an industry where gender norms have long held sway, one exceptional woman has not only challenged conventions, but also sowed seeds that have yielded the fruits of success and prosperity. At the heart of the agricultural sector is the remarkable story of Gloria Ramahlodi, a visionary female entrepreneur who has thrived in the face of adversity within the male-dominated farming industry.
Armed with a mere R500 and unwavering determination, Ramahlodi embarked on a journey during her maternity leave that would eventually develop into “Maledi Fresh,” an organic fresh produce business earning recognition for outstanding farming practices.
Although Ramahlodi’s childhood dreams centered on stethoscopes rather than seeds, she doesn’t regret becoming a farmer rather than a doctor. “I’m still playing a role in healing and health, which makes me feel extremely fulfilled,” Ramahlodi muses.
Instead of medicine, Ramahlodi studied food science at the University of Pretoria. She initially planned to change her career path, but quickly realised that she had fallen in love with the industry: “I was just passionate about everything to do with food, from cooking healthy food, to eating it.”
Ramahlodi’s first real foray into the field was as a food technologist on a farm in Muldersdrift, where she oversaw overall quality control. After a brief stint in the oil production industry, she was headhunted by a produce supplier, who had partnerships with many of South Africa’s major retailers.
As food safety manager, her work often brought her into contact with the farmers who outsourced their produce to the company; many of whom were organic farmers. This, coupled with the insights shared by her boss acted as the catalyst that sparked her interest in entrepreneurship, “It was then that I started wondering what it would be like to run my own company,” she says.
Ramahlodi began supplying hotels with fresh produce while working as a consultant to her former employer – until the pressure became too great and she decided to focus solely on her own business.
It wasn’t easy at first, Ramahlodi admits. “I started off with a shop at Lifestyle Garden Centre at Randpark Ridge, but my fruit and veg just weren’t selling. As soon as prospective customers realised my produce wasn’t organic, they lost interest.” That’s when she decided to change her strategy, rekindling her relationships with the organic farmers who could supply her store.
The business reached a turning point when she was paid a visit by Brad Meiring, founder of the Munching Mongoose, a leading and sustainable organic and whole foods subscription service.
Meiring had not yet established the organic food delivery company, but he was eager to discuss its potential with Ramahlodi – this was the beginning of a long-standing and fruitful partnership. “We’re focused on local, sustainable, and ethical farming practices, so as a business are proud to partner with small-scale local producers that enables employment while allowing us to source the freshest, organic great tasting, natural produce,” says Meiring.
When the Covid pandemic hit and fresh produce was the cornerstone of good health, Ramahlodi teamed up with courier companies and started delivering to families, doubling her sales. Soon she could no longer keep up with demand. So, she purchased some land in Winterveldt, a village near Pretoria where she grew up. Here she began to farm her own fresh produce.
Ramahlodi admits that she was initially daunted. “Everyone told me how complicated organic farming is. I was worried that I wouldn’t pass my audit, so I postponed it several times – but eventually I told myself, ‘Just do it. If you fail, it will be a learning curve – you’ll know what you need to fix.’” As it turned out, the audit was the easiest of her career.
Seeing that many of the young people in her village were unemployed, Ramahlodi dreamed of setting up a training centre, and in January this year, she received accreditation from AgriSETA.
Her next goal is to establish a packing house where small farmers can stock their produce, to be sold by Maledi Fresh. “I’m sensitive to the fact that not everyone has the market access I am fortunate enough to have, nor do they have the knowledge about the industry I have built up over the years. I would like to leverage this to help other small farmers grow,” she says.
With her determination, vision and resourcefulness, it’s not surprising Ramahlodi has been recognised with the industry’s highest honour, winning both Best Commercial Farmer and Best Overall Farmer at the Department of Agriculture’s Awards.
Fearlessly challenging the status quo, Ramahlodi stands tall, proving that success knows no boundaries, and that with vision and determination, any obstacle can be transformed into a steppingstone.
Far more important than triumph to Ramahlodi is the difference her produce makes in people’s lives. “I’m doing what I love and knowing that it has a positive impact on the health and lifestyles of our our customers makes it even better,” she concludes.
