12 Apr 2021

The saying that do not despise small beginnings defines Serowe-born Mr Keamogetse Lenkwetse’s life. 

What started as a mere cooking experiment has given birth to Chilli Vege atchar, a vegetable pickle that is slowly becoming popular in the village. 

While some businesses are feeling the economic and social disruption  caused by COVID-19, Mr Lenkwetse is singing a different song as Chilli Veg is doing well. 

In an interview the 35-year-old said Chilli Veg was his life,  and that Serowe residents embraced his product. 

He said his business started as a cooking experiment and after realising that what he made was delicious, he saw this as an opportunity to start a business.

“My partner had asked me to chop up some vegetables and after mixing them and giving it a taste, I was impressed especially given that I am not such a great cook. My atchar, made of chilies, green pepper, garlic, ginger, onion and carrots, gives food a great taste and a wonderful smell,” he said.  

The budding entrepreneur started by selling just a few containers to see how it would go, a wise move as  he got constructive feedback from different people.

It aided him to improve on the taste and established his own recipe, that saw his atchar into the market. 

Chilli Vege’s entry into the market saw Mr Lenkwetse discarding his former business of selling vegetables to concentrate on selling his atchar. 

He described it as his main priority as he had fallen in love with it as it was giving him satisfying results.

Although he started selling his product February this year, he long started planting vegetables in his backyard garden last year.

He always had a passion for growing vegetables and always ensured that he had a backyard plot wherever he lived.

The promising business man said back in the days while he was at primary school, there was a programme called 4B which enhanced his gardening skills.

His backyard garden includes green peppers and chilies and the rest of the vegetables, he needs for his atchar he gets from the local stores.  

Three types of chilies the gypsy, golden cayenne and bell are used for Chilli Vege, the bell being the most used as it does not dry easily.

Mr Lenkwetse nevertheless said lockdown for him was not such a bad thing as he used it as an opportunity to work on his plots.

He said one of the challenges he faced was quack grass weeds in his plots, and high prices of vegetables such as garlic and ginger. 

The upcoming businessperson said the price of containers especially the glass ones, which he prefers, was another  challenge.

Mr Lenkwetse’s business is mobile, he does house to house selling and sometimes goes to offices to sell. 

 From the colorful and perfectly blended vegetables in jars, to the mouth-watering aroma, his homemade atchar makes customers to keep going back for more.

Presently he sells about 20 containers in a day.

“My Chili Vege always sells because you can never go wrong with food as it is an everyday necessity. I now have regular customers who sometimes order my product in large quantities.”

 He was still learning more about his business before he could make any plea for help to expand his business and his intention was to have a farm where he could plough the vegetables used for his atchar and have branded containers for it.  Ends