Nedbank Namibia on Friday officially launched the 2024 Nedbank Kapana Cook-off competition, marking a decade of culinary excellence and entrepreneurial empowerment.
Kapana masters 18 years and older are once again invited to bring their flair for flavour and taste for entrepreneurship to the competition.
The northern round will kick off at Oshakati, while the coastal round will be held at Walvis Bay and the central round in Windhoek.
Additionally, the competition will expand its reach to Oranjemund, which will join the line-up as a new contender.
Three contestants will be selected from each round to compete in the finals at the 2024 Ongwediva Annual Trade Fair.
“Small and medium-sized enterprises are a crucial accelerator of our nation’s economic growth and our investment in the competition serves as a beacon of hope for budding entrepreneurs, providing them with a platform to flourish,” Nedbank spokesperson Selma Kaulinge said.
The winner will receive a kapana kitchen trailer worth N$100 000, N$10 000 to be deposited into a Nedbank account and a N$5 000 Bakpro Vetkoek voucher.
The runners-up will also be handsomely rewarded with Nedbank accounts and Bakpro Vetkoek vouchers.
Meanwhile, previous winners of the competition say they have transformed their businesses into thriving enterprises.
Ester Silas from Windhoek has become an inspiration to aspiring business owners nationwide, having launched her business just a month after she won the competition in 2023.
She has stationed her kapana kitchen trailer in Greenwell Matongo in Windhoek, where she caters to her community and plans to grow her operation.
“I am still new to the market. I am aware that this will be an intense job,” Silas said at the launch of her kapana kitchen trailer in September last year.
“I plan on hiring someone to assist me on busy days and with after-hours sales. I will also employ the use of different channels to market my business to the people,” Silas said.
Kristy Shomongula, the 2021 winner and the owner of Ndafimanekwa Kapana, has also successfully transformed her victory into a thriving business. Despite her business’s success, she acknowledges the challenges posed by economic fluctuations.
“Food business owners must study the market and have a solid plan in place,” Shomongula said.
Eli Abel, the 2017 winner, was unemployed at the time of the competition and a friend who was aware of his culinary talent encouraged him to enter. Today, he owns the coffee shop Mad Chef & Chillar at Ongwediva.
According to Abel, what sets his business apart from those in the same industry is “honest food and service, as well as hard work”.
This year, the competition’s proud co-sponsors and partners include Bakpro, Oranjemund Diamond Festival, Omulunga Radio, Namibian Chefs Association, Agra and Agra ProVision.
Stay informed with The Namibian – your source for credible journalism. Get in-depth reporting and opinions for
only N$85 a month. Invest in journalism, invest in democracy –
Subscribe Now!
