Youngster who produces gemere eyeing for a bigger share of the market

When Tshwanelo Ntshudisane's (30) communications business failed to take off six year ago, she shifted her focus to brewing gemere.

Also known as ginger beer concentrated syrup, her produce is today found at selected retailers that include Pick n Pay, Makro, Spar and OK Foods in Gauteng. 

At every family gathering and celebration that Ntshudisane attended, gemere was always a part of the festivities as a Tswana woman. Her product goes by the name Gemere.

“Gemere has always been part of our events but the process isn’t an easy one for everyone to know and get it right and so we wanted to create an easy way for us to consume the product that we all grew up enjoying.” 

In 2015, she and her partner Dan Masemola used their savings to start producing small batches of concentrated syrup from her kitchen. 

“When we started we didn’t even have tanks; they came later on when the business was making enough money to sustain itself.”

Today, Ntshudisane’s business employs 15 staffers in both her Soweto and Ga-Rankuwa factories. 

The team purchases ingredients like sugar and ginger, then adds a preservative to extend the shelf life of the concentrated mixture.

“We created as close to the original as possible, hence we find people who tell us that the taste of our gemere reminds them of their grandmothers, mothers and aunts. That’s what we wanted to achieve. A taste that feels like home.”

The biggest challenge has been distributing to major outlets. 

“However, we don’t look at this as a disadvantage because we use independent resellers to get our products direct to customers. In this way, we also empower others who are unemployed or need side hustles and can make an extra income with our product.” 

The model, she said, has always been based on starting small and growing at a steady pace.

“The market is always great for gemere regardless of the season, even in winter, you find people heating it and using the ginger extracts in our extra strong flavour to their advantage,” she told Vuk’uzenzele. 

Ntshudisane, who also has a Digital Marketing Agency, Marble Rose, said she wanted to be an entrepreneur. 

“I left my corporate job to start my own communications agency and have never looked back. Marble Rose has grown from my bedroom to having a national client database.” 

“The market was not easy to break into but you use a steady approach and get people to trust you enough to do business with you.”

The entrepreneur plans to take the drink she grew up sharing with friends and family to greater heights and be in every store in South Africa. 

“I’d like to empower as many people as possible through reseller partnerships and to see ourselves having flagship stores in our neighbouring countries such as Botswana and Lesotho,” she said.