WITH no background in the chemical industry, Tebello Jeanette Khanya took an unlikely path into entrepreneurship.
In 2022, the 33-year-old from Sasolburg founded Bonolo Scents, a pioneering company manufacturing eco-friendly laundry detergents.
In just over a year, she turned a small home-based business into a profitable enterprise, challenging established brands in South Africa’s competitive retail sector.
“I never thought that one day I would be an entrepreneur. It really came as a surprise even to my family,” Khanya told The Free Stater in an interview.
Khanya’s journey into the detergent industry began in an unconventional way – by running a laundromat from her parents’ garage.
But recurring maintenance problems forced her to rethink her approach.
“After running my own laundromat, I encountered challenges with my machines and drain system getting blocked due to detergent build-up,” she said.
“I then decided to do research on eco-friendly products – this led me to eventually deciding to manufacture my own and, of course, challenge the big brands in retail.”
With no prior experience in chemical manufacturing, Khanya turned to Chemin, the South African Chemical Technology Incubator, where she received training and assistance with product formulation.
One of the biggest hurdles in launching Bonolo Scents was ensuring regulatory compliance.
“My biggest obstacle was compliance – getting the product tested and proving that it is eco-friendly,” she said.
“After long research and securing funding for testing, I then managed to tap into other markets.”
Khanya initially invested R90 000 of her own money before securing financial and non-financial support from the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA), the Free State Department of Economic, Small Business Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (DESTEA) and The Innovation Hub.
Her efforts paid off – Bonolo Scents broke even within a year and a half of operations.
“The market has responded very well. It was a difficult journey to teach people about the benefits of our product,” she said.
Despite the dominance of multinational detergent brands, Bonolo Scents has carved out a niche by differentiating itself.
“It is very tough. But being different from others is what helped us convince retailers and customers to choose us,” she said.
Khanya’s pricing remains competitive, though she acknowledges some resistance from consumers comparing Bonolo Scents to well-known brands.
The company currently produces 9 600 litres of detergent per week, with a production capacity of 10 500 litres per day.
She employs four people and is preparing to move into a larger manufacturing facility.
“We will be moving into a larger manufacturing plant to be able to expand on production,” Khanya said.
Bonolo Scents not only claims to be eco-friendly but integrates sustainability into its production process.
“Bonolo Scents is supporting another SME that collects used sunflower oil from restaurants and Kota joints. They clean the oil for us, and we use it as part of our raw material. That is one of the ways we contribute to the green economy,” Khanya explained.
Looking ahead, she envisions Bonolo Scents becoming a national and international brand.
“We do have plans of expanding our range. In the next five years, I see Bonolo Scents as one of the biggest household products. I want Bonolo to be in all corners of South Africa and beyond,” she said.
Her advice to aspiring entrepreneurs: “Do your research and try to find a way to be different from other products that are already on the market.”