24 Feb 2020

Bidfood Botswana, in conjunction with Local Enterprise Authority (LEA), has recently hosted a food show with the aim of bringing together food suppliers under one roof to showcase the best that the food industry has to offer including the latest trends in food and equipment.

In line with the mandate of Bidfood Botswana, to meet demanding customers’ needs by sharing innovations in food service, the organisation found it fit to organise a ‘local’ foodie experience.

In an interview, Bidfood Botswana senior sales administrator, Bernard Modise, said this year’s food show aimed to invite a high number of local suppliers and businesses hence their collaboration with LEA.

“Our partnership with LEA was born out of government’s plea that organisations should support local businesses.

As Bidfood, we are passionate about the food-service industry and we strive to continually exceed the needs of our customers hence the introduction of more local products to our fore,” he said.

Modise added that there were 16 local suppliers and nine local businesses that showcased their products at the show and hoped to form long lasting relationships as a result.

One exhibitor, Phatsimo Ramoja of Earth Vitamins, which specialises in beef products including biltong production based at the LEA incubator centre in Pilane, said she hoped to expand her clientele through the food show.

Ramoja said products were currently found at various stores in Gaborone and Francistown including Bidfood Botswana.

She said Earth Vitamins was a wholly women-owned local company, which was established in 2015.

Another exhibitor, Karabo Katsekela of Kolobeng Springs, which manufactures natural spring bottled water, was excited about the prospects the food show would afford his business.

“We were invited by LEA to showcase our product at this food show and the response so far has been tremendous,” he said.

He added that Kolobeng Springs was currently the only supplier of natural spring bottled water in Botswana and thus urged youth to partner with Kolobeng Springs in order to explore business opportunities. ENDs