Black Mamba was born from a love for chillies – from the growing and harvesting to the tasting, and ultimately the power they hold to spice up your life. And it’s not just the people who splash it on their food whose lives have been well and truly spiced up – Black Mamba has flourished since 2002, and now provides a sustainable income and community workplace for over 60 women (and men these days too!). Now Black Mamba Foods has secured R9.2-million in funding from US venture capital (VC) fund Enygma Ventures.
Black Mamba started in 2002, when Joe and Claudia brewed their first batch of chilli sauce. Being born in Swaziland and Colombia, the pair shared a passion for heat and hot chilli flavouring. Joe’s chilli sparked in the pair the idea that they could connect chilliheads around the world with their homemade sauce, and soon, all 400 bottles of their first organic chilli sauce (spiced with a little Latino spirit) sold out at a local arts festival. Within months, they went from employing one woman to stir a pot on their patio to managing their own FSSC22000 certified kitchen.
As an ethical producer of specialty foods, Black Mamba Foods will utilise the funding received to upscale its business.
Claudia Castellanos, Co-Founder, and CEO of Black Mamba Foods, comments on investment from Enygma Ventures.
“We are extremely excited about this partnership with Enygma Ventures. The financial and strategic support will allow us to scale Black Mamba exponentially. It validates our business model, based on building a fun and modern African brand of high-quality food products while promoting inclusiveness of rural communities and green agriculture.”
Sustainable and ethically produced
Black Mamba Foods creates a range of products, from chilli sauces, pestos, pickles, chutneys, jams, and more which are made without artificial flavouring or preservatives. Supporting small-scale local farmers, who are majority women, Black Mamba Foods has created market access and income for local farmers.
In addition, through its relations with local farmers, the company directly increases food security for a number of rural familes. To ensure that their product is sustainably farmed, all farmers are provided training in permaculture and regenerative farming practices, upskilling local farmers and positively contributing to the environment.
Sarah Dusek, Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Enygma Ventures comments on the concept and business model adopted by Black Mamba Foods.
“We are very pleased to partner with Black Mamba, to scale their growth across the continent and beyond. Black Mamba is an incredible brand that not only elevates women and sustainable farming but also makes the world a better place for all of us.”
