Kenewang Aims To Dominate Detergent Industry

Omphemetse Kenewang
Omphemetse Kenewang

FRANCISTOWN: Thirty-three-year-old Maunatlala native, Omphemetse Kenewang aims to take the dishwashing detergent industry by storm in order to curb the influx of foreign products sitting on local shelves.

Trading under Blue-Black Brands as Estelle Labs, the brand manufactures household care products and detergents with dishwashing liquid soap under the label ‘Estelle’, which is currently found on the biggest retail store shelves. Kenewang told Business Monitor recently that Estelle dishwashing liquid is now retailing and the reception from both retail stores and consumers is positive. She added that the local dishwashing liquid is currently available at select stores such as Squaremart, Foodlovers, Choppies, Daily Needs Hyper, Welcome Cash 'n' Carry, Gosiame Supermarket, Thuso Wholesaler, Saverite stores to mention but a few. She said that their aim is to be the countrywide supplier and number one exporter of quality dishwashing soap and other products in the near future. According to the determined entrepreneur, they operate a 1000L/h production capacity, semi-automated plant from water purification through to filling and capping. She stated that apart from conducting their in-house testing to maintain standards for quality control, their products are also tested by the Botswana Bureau of Standards and Botswana International University of Science and Technology.

Furthermore, she indicated that their company’s immediate objectives are to create employment to curb the influx of foreign products on local retail shelves. Kenewang also shared: “When I was out-of-school and unemployed in 2014, I attended the (Local Enterprise Authority) LEA SMME PITSO at the Grand Palm hotel where the then Minister of Trade, Vincent Seretse talked about the import bill standing at something like P63 billion per annum. It was after the seminar that I discovered that there is an influx of foreign products on our retail shelves, something which should be dealt with.” She disclosed that their business was funded by the [then] Ministry of Youth Development, Sports and Culture (MYSC) through the Youth Development Fund in 2014 at Palapye. However, she stated that the money granted was not enough to start a solid business and it was due to that reason that the company faced many challenges in its inception; including escalating industrial rentals plus their production capacity was too small.

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