Random News

eriinfo

Africa: Honey, Chilli, and Change – a Rural Entrepreneur’s Path to Global Markets

eriinfo.com05 mins
Africa: Honey, Chilli, and Change – a Rural Entrepreneur’s Path to Global Markets


“Being supported by the Graça Machel Trust to showcase my product at a regional stage such as SIW was incredibly affirming. It showed that rural businesses like ours can compete globally, and it tells young women back home that their ideas can travel far beyond the village.” – Robyn Brown, Manager of All Things Last Lap.

For Robyn Brown, co-founder of All Things Last Lap, the 8th SADC Industrialisation Week (SIW 2025) in Madagascar was more than a business opportunity, it was a moment of visibility and validation. With the support of the Graça Machel Trust, she was able to present her products to regional leaders, policymakers, and investors, carrying with her the pride of rural South Africa and the determination to prove that women-led enterprises can thrive on global platforms.

The story of Last Lap began in Nyara Villages, Haga Haga, Eastern Cape, with two beehives left by Robyn’s late grandmother. What started to honour her legacy has since grown into a cooperative producing raw honey, chilli sauces, garlic products, and dried herbs. Today, Robyn runs the enterprise together with her mother, Verda Brown, the founder of Last Lap, combining tradition, family, and innovation to create a brand with global ambitions.


Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines

At SIW, Robyn joined a panel of entrepreneurs and sector leaders to share solutions for building inclusive value chains. For her, the experience underscored the importance of unity and collaboration: “What inspired me most was the unity and shared vision. Entrepreneurs, innovators, and policymakers came together with a real determination to uplift our economies through regional trade, innovation, and inclusive industrialisation.”

Through the Trust’s Fair for All project , Robyn and her mother have gained access to training and connections that positioned her business for the next stage of growth. At SIW, she met investors interested in socially driven African brands, gained insights into export certification, and began exploring partnerships with GIZ to improve packaging, food safety, and compliance.

Her participation embodies what the Trust envisions when it supports women entrepreneurs: businesses that begin in rural communities finding their place in regional and international markets. As Shiphra Chisha, Director of Programmes at the Graça Machel Trust, explained:

“When women entrepreneurs like Robyn take the stage, they don’t just represent their businesses, they shift mindsets. Visibility on platforms like SIW connects them to buyers, investors, and policymakers, helping transform them from small-scale producers into value creators, exporters, and market leaders.”