Indigenous Flavour, Big Business
By Tuduetso Tebape
For generations, the baobab tree has long been valued in homes and communities, but few imagined it could become the foundation of a modern beverage brand found on supermarket shelves and even served aboard Air Botswana flights. For Regis Fushayi, however, the baobab represented far more than a traditional fruit. It represented opportunity.
as a chef, he has spent years working in the hospitality industry while training aspiring chefs. He is also furthering his studies through an MBA, combining academic knowledge with years of practical experience. The company was established in 2023, inspired in part by the conversations around health and natural products that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. As consumers increasingly looked for nutritious, locally sourced alternatives, baobab stood out as an ingredient with remarkable potential. “It became the perfect opportunity to combine my interests in food, business and innovation,” he says, further adding: “Baobab has an abundance of health benefits and contributes greatly to wellness. In the Chobe region, it is also abundantly available.”” Fushayi explains.
The business extends far beyond producing juice. Harvesting the fruit creates opportunities for local communities, who are trained to process the raw material before selling it into the company’s supply chain. The approach ensures that value is created not only in the factory, but also in the villages where the baobab grows naturally. “The community is involved in harvesting, we teach them how to process the fruit and we pay them for it,” he says. “It gives people opportunities and creates livelihoods.” Building a business around an indigenous ingredient has not been without challenges. Early product development required testing beyond Botswana’s borders, while changing perceptions about the commercial potential of baobab proved equally demanding.
Founder of Fush Fush Baobab (Pty) Ltd, which manufactures the Mowana Baobab Natural Juice, Fushayi has built his business around one simple belief: indigenous resources have the potential to create jobs, improve livelihoods and inspire innovation. “Growing up, I learned that hard work and integrity are the foundations of success,” he says. “I also grew up watching people in rural communities live from the natural resources around them. Those resources can become engines of economic transformation.” Originally from Zimbabwe and residing in Pandamatenga, Fushayi’s professional journey has always revolved around food. Trained in Hospitality Management and
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