DR PHINDILE MSOMI
HAZILE GROUP
- Since winning the 2025 Veuve Clicquot Bold Future Award, how has Hazile Group expanded – whether in client acquisition, sector diversification, funding, partnerships or geographic footprint?
Winning the Veuve Clicquot Bold Future Award in 2025 accelerated both the visibility and credibility of Hazile Group. Since then, we’ve strengthened our positioning in climate-smart agriculture and water innovation, expanded our processed and dried product lines, and are deepening partnerships within sustainability and food systems networks.
We’ve also seen a notable increase in partnership enquiries and collaborative opportunities, particularly within women-led and impact-driven ecosystems.
The award didn’t just open doors; it validated the seriousness of our work in green innovation.
- Have you had a “pinch me” moment since winning the 2025 Veuve Clicquot Bold Future Award?
Yes. I’ve had moments where people contacted me because they recognised me from the award, or I’ve walked into rooms where people already knew who I was before I introduced myself. That shift in recognition has been so powerful.
But the real “pinch me” moment was when a young woman approached me and said, “If you can do it, maybe I can too.” That’s when it became bigger than business. It became about representation.
The award transformed visibility into responsibility, and that has been deeply humbling.
- As a founder operating at the intersection of strategy and impact, how has your vision sharpened post-recognition?
The recognition clarified my responsibility to think bigger, operationally and systemically. Post-award, my vision has sharpened around scalability and policy alignment. It’s no longer just about running a successful business; it’s about building replicable models that can influence broader food and water security frameworks in South Africa.
It has also pushed me to strengthen governance, long-term strategy and sustainability metrics. Impact must be meaningful and measurable.
- In what ways has access to the Bold network strengthened your ability to scale responsibly?
The Bold programme offers something incredibly valuable: proximity to excellence. Being surrounded by high-calibre women founders challenges you to elevate your own standards.
Through the network, I’ve gained strategic insight, peer mentorship and meaningful conversations around scaling without compromising purpose. Responsible growth is intentional growth, and the network reinforces that sustainability, governance and innovation must move together. It’s a sisterhood of accountability and ambition.
- What does it mean to you to be part of a five-year milestone moment for the programme in South Africa?
It means legacy. Five years represents consistency, belief and investment in women’s leadership. To be counted among that legacy is an honour. This milestone signals that bold women are not exceptions; we are a movement. And movements change industries, economies and narratives.
I’m so proud to be part of a cohort redefining what women’s leadership in Africa looks like.
- What message would you share with the next generation of bold, future-focused founders?
Don’t wait until your business feels “perfect” or fully formed. Boldness is not about having everything figured out; it’s about having the courage to begin.
The platform is transformative, but more importantly, the process affirms that your vision matters. If you are building something that solves real problems and challenges the status quo, this is your space.
Step forward boldly. South Africa needs you.
RETANG PHAAHLA
SETŠONG TEA CRAFTERS
- Since winning this year, what early growth indicators have you seen – retail listings, export conversations, production scale, team growth or revenue uplift? Please include any relevant statistics to accompany the above if you feel comfortable sharing.
Since winning the award, we’ve seen very tangible indicators that Setšong Tea Crafters is entering a new phase of scale and market confidence.
On the retail side, we secured new opening orders from Dis-Chem (74 stores) and Cosmetic Connections (81 stores), along with new listings from Checkers, Tourvest and the upcoming Club Med resort in Ballito. In the retail environment, we are seeing strong product pull and repeat consumer demand, which can largely be attributed to the increased brand awareness following recognition through the Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award.
Internationally, we completed and shipped an export order to the United States for listing on Amazon USA. That milestone has already opened further export conversations with buyers in Japan and the United Kingdom, reinforcing our ability to compete in global wellness markets.
Financially, we have maintained steady year-on-year growth and are projecting a revenue increase of approximately 45% compared with the previous financial year. We also secured capital to support infrastructure development, which is an important step toward long-term manufacturing sustainability.
- Have you had a “pinch me” moment since winning the award?
Yes, many, and I still do.
The moment that stands out most was realising that winning the Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award represented more than a personal milestone. It was a global validation of an African story rooted in indigenous knowledge and rural communities.
Standing in that moment, I felt the weight of what it represents: that a brand built from the soil of Limpopo, powered by women, heritage and purpose, can be recognised and celebrated on an international platform of excellence.
It was one of those moments where I thought: “This is bigger than me… Setšong has officially entered the world stage.”
- How are you balancing cultural storytelling with commercial scale as Setšong grows?
We scale without compromising culture. Indigenous knowledge sits at the centre of what we do – it is our foundation, not a marketing angle. As the business grows, we continue to professionalise our operations and production processes while protecting the authenticity of our story and the communities behind the brand. Growth and cultural integrity must move together.
- How do you see your leadership reflecting the bold, global entrepreneurial spirit that the award represents?
Scaling Setšong has required difficult and often brave decisions: securing major retail listings, entering export markets, strengthening production capacity and preparing for long-term infrastructure development, all while safeguarding our cultural integrity and community impact.
Along the way, I have also had to find my voice. As a woman leading an African heritage brand into global markets, I’ve learned to speak with confidence about our value, advocate for our worth in boardrooms and position indigenous knowledge as innovation rather than nostalgia.
For me, bold leadership means standing firmly in who you are, owning your story and leading with clarity on the global stage.
- As one of the most recent winners, how do you view your role in shaping the next five years of the South African Bold legacy?
I see my role in shaping the next five years of the Veuve Clicquot Bold Legacy as both a builder and a bridge.
A builder, because I carry a responsibility to demonstrate what is possible when an African business is rooted in heritage and social impact while also driven by strategy, innovation and commercial excellence. The legacy must include businesses that are globally competitive, scalable and structurally strong.
And a bridge, because Setšong represents far more than one company. We represent an entire value chain that has historically been excluded from mainstream opportunity. As we grow, my focus is on ensuring that others grow alongside us.
- What would you say to women building proudly African brands?
Your culture and story are your competitive advantage. But your story must be supported by structure. At Setšong, our growth has been guided by a clear strategy and disciplined execution. For 2026, think bigger, build systems that support scale, and be bold. Don’t wait for permission to take your brand global.
