When I was in Zimbabwe I joined Choose Women Buy Local that is run at Stimulus Innovation Centre. CWBL provides women-owned and run businesses visibility. It’s a great space to meet other business women especially for me since I don’t live in Zimbabwe permanently and trying to run a business there. If it’s something that you would like to check out you can read more on Stimulus website.
It was at a CWBL meeting that I met Kuda Shambira who runs Earthly Pleasures. Kuda makes tomato jam, tapenade, pesto, lip balms, hair and body butter and hair food. It was so exciting for me to meeting someone who makes the same things as I do and also selling her products. A few days after the meeting I met Kuda and we talked about her business and how she started.
Kuda was in South Africa in college when she got a job to make extra income. It was with a Zimbabwean settled in South Africa who makes sauces and jams. She used this time to learn to make jams herself.
After returning to Zimbabwe, her sister was growing tomatoes and would end up with extra tomatoes that would be unsold. Kuda started making the tomato jam for her family and then that started piling up too. That is when she decided to start selling it to other people. Now she sells at different markets in Harare, at the Vitamin Bar and is looking into being in supermarkets soon.
Kuda gave me her tomato jam to try and I love it. I use it in place of ketchup especially when cooking. I like that Kuda’s products are made with very good ingredients, no preservatives. That reduces shelf life but it’s so good it will not last long.
If you would like to try any of her products please email earthlypleasures@gmail.com or call +263 779 948 701.