The Pick n Pay Hyper by the Sea was alive with excitement on Friday as shoppers met the faces behind some of KwaZulu-Natal’s favourite local products. The Meet the Makers Market Day brought together passionate small business owners from across the province in a colourful celebration of entrepreneurship, creativity, and community spirit.
The event gave customers a unique opportunity to sample proudly locally made products, learn about their origins, and hear inspiring stories from the producers whose goods are now available on Pick n Pay shelves.
Mark Bandi, Head of SMME Development at Pick n Pay, said the initiative was about more than just sales — it was about building lasting partnerships.
“The idea is to allow small businesses to see what they’ve selected for customers, because they are the ones we really want to support here,” said Bandi. “We’ve always talked about market access, and this is one of the ways we actually make it happen.”
He explained that the event was designed to understand the needs of both customers and small businesses. “We believe doing good is good business, and we want to say: pick a small business to make a big difference. That’s what today is all about.”
He added that Market Days are part of Pick n Pay’s broader effort to grow and mentor small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) through market access, mentorship, and preferential trading terms — ensuring sustainable business growth.
“Each new vendor we support is chosen for their innovation, community impact, and proudly South African roots. When our SMMEs succeed, our communities and customers succeed too.”
Among those showcasing their success stories was Viren Ganaspershad, General Manager of Verigold Trading, which trades as Mr Snacks.
“Our business started in January 2017 with humble beginnings in a garage,” he said. “We went through food safety management processes and audits, which helped us grow into SPAR retailers — and now we’ve joined Pick n Pay. It’s a great opportunity and a big step forward for us.”
He said Mr Snacks is a 100% women-owned business powered by a vibrant and passionate team.
“We take pride in what we do, focusing on our products and our customers’ needs. Being part of Pick n Pay’s Market Day gives us wonderful exposure, and we’re excited to grow to even greater heights.”
The Meet the Makers event captured the essence of KwaZulu-Natal — resilience, pride, and the power of local enterprise.
Seen at Pick n Pay Hyper by the Sea’s Meet the Makers Market:
• Pic 1: Pick n pay management excited to meet the makers.
• Pic 2: Mira Harie and Thandekile from The Spice Emporium
• Pic 3: Mark Bandi, Nishal Sarjoo, Sbo Mdunge, Des Moodley, Njabulo Sithole (Baker Creations, Inanda) and Karabo Tsele
• Pic 4: Shawn Hamblin, Anastasia Chambi Rocha and Elizabeth Hamblin
• Pic 5: Andrew Mitchell and Louise Hasibeer from Pretty Girls Aprons
• Pic 6: Rishav Juglall showcasing his cleaning products.
• Pic 7: Sane Dladla supporting Patha Patha Sauce.
• Pic 8: Zamo Zungu with her healthy lollies from Nutrivit.
