Hospitality Management alumnus at the Durban University of Technology, Thabisile MaShangase Danisa’s spice business, Incasa Foods, is booming after she decided to go Halaal.
The dynamic Danisa from KwaNdengezi in Mariannhill who established her business in 2015 is now supplying retail stores such as Oxfords, Chohans Spice and Spar in Pinetown. She manufactures and distributes Halaal-certified sauces, pastes and spices.
Danisa said: “Incasa is certified as Halaal and is also proudly South African approved. Also, in order for Incasa products to be acceptable in the market, we had to obtain these certifications and others which we are still working on. These certifications help me a lot to supply my products to different stores such as Oxfords, Chohans Spice and Spar in Pinetown.”
She conveyed that her Halaal certification was obtained through SANHA, an organisation based in Overport, Durban.
“When approaching retail stores I realised the importance of having a Halaal certification, as according to me this was not about religion but more a commitment to ensuring that we produce food that is of good quality standards,” said Danisa.
Her journey began in her early upbringing, when she needed to find something she could do to help her de-stress and decided to pursue gardening. From there on she had to think of what to do to preserve the extra food from her garden and began experimenting. However, it was whilst studying at DUT that Danisa focused on recipes of homemade cooking products which she used to make during her years of study at DUT.
After her studies, Danisa tried her hand working as a chef in the hospitality industry, before cutting her teeth in education and in the training field as a lecturer and Skill Development Practitioner.
She was then unemployed from 2011 which led her to re-using those recipes and creating other products from her own home kitchen, all in a bid to make nice food for her family.
“Visitors were then complementing my food and when I told them what I was using they could not believe it, so they would ask me to come cook at their events with my products. Next, I started selling the products on social media in pouches. With the feedback I received, I was then sure I needed to do something and make my products a brand,” she said.
Presently, she has two full-time employees, three temporary employees and 10 interns. She explained that with the support from the Agribusiness Development Agency (ADA), from next year, 2023, she is looking to increase the employee numbers to six permanent employees and house 15 interns.
“We were blessed to have Incasa Foods selected for funding through ADA and this has allowed for the purchase of equipment that will help solve issues of capacity within the business,” she said.
