Meet the trailblazing team behind Freshmo Brands Pty Ltd, a proudly South African company that's breaking barriers in the oral care industry. Founded by Paul Masilo, Freshmo Brands Pty Ltd is the first township-based and black-owned business to manufacture mouthwash packaged in innovative sachets in Africa.

 

Under Paul Masilo's leadership, Freshmo has revolutionized the way Africans access affordable, quality oral care products. With a passion for empowering communities, Freshmo's mission is to make fresh breath and healthy smiles accessible to all. We manufacture mouthwash packaged in sachets and biodegradable toothbrushes, with botanical toothpaste launching soon.

 

Freshmo Brands Pty Ltd is committed to creating opportunities and driving economic growth in South Africa's townships. By providing employment opportunities and partnering with local communities, Freshmo is making a tangible impact on the lives of many.

 

Freshmo Brands Pty Ltd - where innovation meets empowerment, and freshness meets opportunity! 😊

As an independent family-owned business the Kit Kat Group has seen great evolution over the past 50 years and even more in the most recent decade.

Founded in 1953 by members of the Gani family, this independent wholesaler and retailer started off as the Kit Kat Café and Restaurant. Over the years, the well-established business grew in success as the café was converted into a self-service supermarket in 1973 and is still currently growing from strength to strength.

Kit Kat has been able to successfully expand their store footprint around Gauteng Allowing for the expansion of their brand and stores into Limpopo through their Kit Kat Express model at the end of 2021.

Kit Kat is amongst the very few independent wholesalers to have an effective and functioning fully operating online store that caters to all shoppers.

An interesting development resulted in Kit Kat partnering with Food Lovers Market to drive growth and success with the Fresh division of their business.

 

McDonald’s opened its first restaurant in South Africa in November 1995 making this year our 30th year of legacy. Today, we operate over 400 restaurants in all nine of South Africa’s provinces and serve an estimated 8 million customers a month.

The Pick n Pay Group is a leading South African retail business in the fast-moving consumer goods industry. Founded in 1967, 

Pick n Pay has built a strong legacy of serving customers with quality, affordability, and service excellence.

 

Headquartered in Cape Town and listed on the JSE, the Group operates through two core brands: Pick n Pay - a multi-format

retail brand serving middle to higher-income customers; and Boxer a limited-range, discount supermarket chain focused on the 

lower-income market, in which the Group holds a 65.6% majority stake.

 

With over 2,000 stores across South Africa and several other southern African countries, the Group’s retail formats include 

hypermarkets, supermarkets, clothing stores, liquor outlets, a growing online platform, and Pick n Pay asap! its on-demand delivery service.

 

Through its customer-first strategy, strong private label offering, and continued investment in price and innovation, 

the Pick n Pay Group is committed to delivering unbeatable value, improving access to essential goods, and supporting economic inclusion 

across the region.

Ms. Amanda Lotheringen joined the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) in 1993 and currently serves as the Senior Manager: Copyright and IP Enforcement at the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC). In 1999, she assumed responsibility for implementing the Counterfeit Goods Act, No. 37 of 1997, and oversaw the declaration of the first counterfeit goods depot in South Africa. She has played a leading role in training law enforcement officials across government departments on the enforcement of IP rights. Ms. Lotheringen was nominated as Vice-Chair at the inaugural meeting of WIPO’s Advisory Committee on Enforcement (ACE) in Geneva in 2003 and went on to chair the ACE in 2015, 2016, and again in 2024. She is a passionate advocate for SMMEs and actively champions sustainable waste management initiatives to upcycle confiscated counterfeit goods into usable products. She is also a vocal supporter of gender equity in the IP space. In 2023, she was instrumental in launching the South African chapter of ChIPs (Chiefs in IP), a global network advancing women in intellectual property, and has participated in the first two Women in IP Symposiums. Additionally, she played an active role in the first-ever Global Women in IP Mentoring Pilot Programme, helping to build a foundation for future women leaders in the field. In 2024, Ms. Lotheringen launched the CIPC IP Youth Awards, an initiative aimed at empowering and recognizing young South African innovators and creators. She holds a degree in Development Economics and an Honours degree in Economics from the Rand Afrikaans University, now called UJ.

Anni has served as the Head of Business Intelligence for RFG Foods for over 8 years, starting with RFG Foods in 2011. She started her career within the Absa Bank in Commercial Banking, after which she completed an MSc, MA in Finance and Investment in the UK and completed her traineeship. Inspired by her roots in agriculture, love for Africa and passion for food she joined RFG Foods in 2011 as a Brand Manager, ultimately moving back to South Africa. Gaining valuable experience in the FMCG industry, acquisitions integration, and multiple departments within the Group, Anni established Business Intelligence for the Group and still holds this position. RFG Foods was acquired by Premier Group in March 2026.

My career included a significant focus on visibility and traceability in supply chains. That include topics from the use of a RFID protocol for counting items with the same identity code to enterprise and supply chain level traceability and visibility in the cotton industry to the development and deployment of a generic global platform for supply chain visibility and traceability that operates in any industry sector focusing on any physical product type. More recently I am also involved in the development of a global platform to support enterprise level monitoring, recording and data management of production of any physical product type in any industry globally. This platform will operate in a complementary fashion, and co-exist with, existing ERP systems without replacing any existing digital data capture system and enable digital enterprise level visibility and traceability audit trails. My business focus is on the facilitation, coordination and alignment of entire supply chains, from primary production through all intermediate production steps up to the retail shelf, and beyond for products in circularity. The real value proposition for each, and all, participating organisations in such visible and traceable supply chains lies in creating and sharing the evidence of compliance to the commitments made in day-to-day trade of commodities through supplying products that conform to agreed standards and regulations on terms agreed to in contracts and according to agreed schedules and specifications of supply.

Mr. Mashimbye is a qualified financial accountant who studied at the Technikon Northern Gauteng (now Tshwane University of Technology) and the Technikon South Africa (now UNISA). He majored in Financial Accounting and Corporate Law and also studied towards his MBA with the Management College of SA (still to be completed). He is currently completing his studies towards his Corporate Governance qualification through the Chartered Secretaries Institute of South Africa. He spent the initial years of his career in accounting and financial management positions, in both the public and the private sector with Telkom, Edcon, the Department of Trade & Industry and Proudly SA, with more than 10 years of these at senior management level. Mashimbye has served on the board of The Business Place and is currently a Director on the Board of the South African Savings Institute, where he previously also held the position of Audit and Risk Committee Chairperson. He has previously fulfilled the role of CFO (for a 10 year period), Acting COO and Acting CEO of Proudly South African and was appointed permanent CEO in December 2016.

Maude Modise is the Enterprise and Government relations Executive at the Shoprite Group and heads up Shoprite Next Capital, a business division dedicated to developing and growing commercially viable Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMMEs). Furthering the Group’s continued effort to give small suppliers access to its consumer market, Shoprite Next Capital – under Modise’s leadership – operates as a one-stop shop for SMME partners by providing marketing opportunities, working capital assistance, data sharing, product range and geographic expansion, as well as possible private label partnerships. Modise, who grew up in Mabopane near Pretoria, obtained a BCom Accounting at North-West University, after which she joined the Group’s graduate programme as a trainee accountant in 2014. Her roles have included Financial Manager at Shoprite’s Distribution Centre in Johannesburg and Divisional Financial Manager for USave Gauteng. Combining her education, skills and previous roles in finance with Modise’s extensive experience mentoring of young graduates, she now brings new impetus to the Group’s development of small and medium businesses to give them access to market, to increase local procurement and to create jobs.

Sophie is an Associate Director at Eleveya, where she focuses on clients in the life sciences and global health sectors. Sophie currently serves as the Focal Point for the Secretariat of the Fight the Fakes Alliance, a multi-stakeholder non-profit association that aims to raise awareness and influence change about the proliferation of substandard and falsified medicines. She holds a dual Master’s degree in International Affairs from the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin and Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs in New York. Before joining Eleveya, Sophie worked at the Geneva office of High Lantern Group, a strategic positioning firm. Prior to that, she consulted for the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), mapping Uganda’s clean cooking sector and reforming tendering and grant allocation processes. She also worked with the Resource Mobilization Division at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Geneva, contributing to an initiative under the ‘Grand Bargain’—a UN-led effort to address the humanitarian financing gap. Originally from France, Sophie holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the University of Geneva and speaks French, English, and German

Thulani Mlambo is the founder of Local to Global Foods, an award-winning Foodpreneur, and an advocate for local economic empowerment through culinary innovation. With over 15 years of leadership experience in service delivery and vendor management, Thulani transitioned from the corporate world to the food industry, driven by a deep-rooted passion for African flavours and sustainable enterprise. He is the visionary behind Nayi Le Achaar Pâté – a pioneering product that reimagines traditional South African Achaar into a premium gourmet format. Under his leadership, Local to Global Foods has earned accolades locally and internationally, including participation in prestigious showcases such as the Summer and Winter Fancy Food Shows in the USA, and graduation from the Specialty Food Association’s Maker Prep Cohort. Thulani’s work sits at the intersection of heritage and entrepreneurship, championing food systems that are inclusive, resilient, and distinctly African. His voice has become increasingly recognised in discussions on local food economies, township enterprise development, and agro-processing innovation.

Tom Mkhwanazi has been serving as the Chief Executive Officer of the Wholesale & Retail SETA (W&RSETA) since February 2019. His career began as an educator in Durban and he has since held a wide range of positions across various organisations and has served on various boards and councils. He has a wealth of experience in the Public Sector, having held various positions in different levels for over 33 years and more than 16 years in strategic leadership roles. Mkhwanazi’s academic achievements include a BA honours and an HDE from the University of Durban Westville, as well as various post-graduate diplomas in Public Management, Labour Law, Interpreting and Drafting of Contracts and Corporate Law and certificates in Monitoring and Evaluation and Pension Fund Law through various institutions.

Wilson Chandomba, CSCL is a Certified Supply Chain Leader with over 27 years of experience across the pharmaceutical value chain in Africa. He is the Founder and Managing Consultant of CMCOMMS Supply Chain Quality Assurance. He is a member of the African Continental Technical Working Group on Substandard and Falsified Medical Products and Chairperson of its Communications Sub-Working Group. Wilson also serves as the Southern Africa Regional Lead for the International Association of Public Health Logisticians (IAPHL). His work focuses on strengthening health supply chains, quality assurance, and safeguarding patients from substandard and falsified medical products.

Zinhle Tyikwe is the Chief Executive Officer of GS1 South Africa, where she leads with strategic clarity, institutional integrity, and a deep commitment to inclusive advancement. Her career spans more than two decades in human resources and executive management, marked by a consistent focus on unlocking potential, driving transformation, and elevating women within the consumer goods sector and beyond. Since joining GS1 South Africa in 2013, Zinhle has played a pivotal role in shaping the organization’s culture and strategic direction—first as Executive for Human Resources and Communications, and now as its CEO. Her leadership is grounded in academic excellence, holding two honours degrees in Human Resources Development and Industrial Psychology & Organisational Development from UNISA, and an MBA from the University of South Wales. Zinhle’s influence has extended across sectors through her previous board roles with the Wholesale and Retail SETA and the Steve Biko Academic Hospital, where she contributed to national skills development and healthcare governance. She continues to lend her voice to strategic transformation as a member of the SAB Sharp Advisory Board, helping guide responsible industry practices and community impact. As we honour the theme Empowering Women, Empowering the Future in this year’s Women Colloquy, Zinhle embodies the principle that empowered women are architects of progress. Her leadership is not only institutional—it is generational. And at the heart of her journey is her role as a mother to Wongalamasengwa and Zimkitha, where her passion for growth, development, and nurturing the future finds its most personal and profound expression.

Chabi’s Ginger delivers a specialised powder product that gives you the taste of homemade gemere with only the addition of cold water.

Each batch is expertly blended and conveniently available to add flavour to your event.

In modern days, it’s not easy to make big drums of gemere through an overnight process of many steps, so Chabi’s Ginger helps the modern makoti keep the traditions alive. From South Africa to Sudan, the Cameroon to the Caribbean, ginger beer is a staple in the African diaspora and beyond!

Chabi’s Ginger’s Chabi’s Ginger’s vision is to share this gift, a taste of home. For years, Gemere Ginger Drink has been the hallmark of our family gatherings. Our mission is to craft amazing gemere for family and community events across South Africa.

The Consumer Goods and Services Ombud (CGSO) is an independent, accredited alternative dispute resolution scheme established in terms of the Consumer Protection Act. The CGSO enforces the Consumer Goods and Services Industry Code of Conduct which governs the conduct of businesses operating within the consumer goods and services sector in South Africa. Our mandate is to provide consumers with a fair, accessible, and cost-effective way to resolve disputes with suppliers while promoting compliance with the Industry Code and improving ethical business practices across the sector.

Mitas Corporation is a leading global provider of marking, identification, traceability, automation, inspection and authentication systems. The company’s name reflects its core offerings—Marking, Identification, Traceability, Automation, and Systems/Solutions—and it operates through a portfolio of fully owned divisions and strategic partner businesses that deliver end‑to‑end, bespoke solutions. 

 

Mitas Corporation supports manufacturers and non‑manufacturing sectors alike with advanced technologies for product marking, asset management, brand protection, and supply‑chain visibility. 

 

Our solutions range from high‑temperature metal marking and ultra‑fast production‑line coding to covert and forensic anti‑counterfeit systems, enabling unit‑level traceability across industries. With capabilities spanning everything from red‑hot steel billets to items stored in liquid nitrogen, Mitas is known as an ultimate industry solutions provider, committed to innovation, reliability, and global traceability excellence.

PojuPoju (Pty) Ltd is a South African Company established in 2024 by Dorothy Dolly Fatima

Mofomme. Earlier in 2018 Ms Mofomme established and co-founded Nalydia, a company which specializes in baby food products packaged in glass jars.

In 2023, Ms Mofomme visited Swaziland for a wedding where she was advised by her friend to export the baby food products packaged in pouches , the friend referred to these pouch packaged baby food as Abo PojuPoju which means “SQUEEZE OUT” from the pouch and it’s also INFORMAL PRAISE NAME for the LITTLE ONES(Babies).

The packaged baby food are sealed with MINICAPS / multipurpose ANTI-CHOKE LIDS used for capping the pouches and for building creative blocks. These Minicaps inspires cognitive development, enhance creativity, and problem-solving skills of a child.

In 2024 Ms Mofomme stepped down from Nalydia to pursue her own vision due to incompatible aspirations with other partners. She later registered PojuPoju (Pty) Ltd to persue her aspirations.

The company produces pouched natural food free from Artificial Colorant, Artificial Flavour and Preservatives. The food caters for Infants and persons from 7 months and older.

Tolokazi Beer & Cider is a South African craft brewery founded by Apiwe Nxusani‑Mawela, the country’s first Black woman to earn a brewing diploma and establish her own brewery. Launched in 2020, the brand celebrates African brewing heritage and the historic role of women in beer-making. Using indigenous ingredients like sorghum, rooibos, hibiscus, and marula, Tolokazi creates uniquely African flavors that combine tradition with modern brewing science.

The company has gained recognition for both its quality and innovative packaging, winning awards locally and internationally. Beyond brewing, Tolokazi mentors aspiring brewers through Brewsters Academy, promoting economic inclusion and fostering diversity in a traditionally male-dominated industry. By blending cultural storytelling with craft excellence, Tolokazi Beer & Cider aims to elevate African brewing traditions onto global stages while inspiring a new generation of brewers.

Wipotec is your innovative, reliable partner for high performance, process and customer-oriented weighing and inspection solutions – including marking, coding and labeling systems. As one of the world's leading businesses for dynamic weighing technology and product control, Wipotec stands for outstanding manufacturing quality "Made in Germany", the highest ease of integration and profound sector expertise. Wipotec’s "Traceable Quality System" - TQS – integrates modules for printing, labeling and verification. Instead of offering individual components, we offer a perfectly coordinated system – user-friendly and easy to operate.