Cape Thyme Catering

About the organisation

Cape Thyme Catering is a small enterprise.The company offers a catering service for the staff at hotels and corporate companies They are the only company in Cape Town to cater for diabetics. Cape Thyme prepares, packages and delivers Low GI meals which controls cholesterol, weight and helps support the immune system of HIV and Aids patients. The company is owned and managed by Jacinta Adonis, with a 100% shareholding. They are currently the only Black Economic Empowerment (BEE), female-owned company in Cape Town to cater for diabetics and to offer a healthy eating option.

Jacinta currently employs 20 people, most of whom have been employed from a shelter for homeless, single mothers. She herself is a young self-made entrepreneur. "I started the business with no knowledge of how to run a business but because I had an idea and was very confident that I could make a success out of it, I persevered. And it is my aim to make Cape Thyme the name for diabetics and HIV and AIDS patients"

Jacinta's focus turned from "purely making money to wanting to help people and destitute women with children"

Business case
Jacinta is confident there is sufficient market potential yet to be explored and there is a large growth potential for the company. To help her get the company to a next level, she asked SharePeople for support from a professional who could help her define her growth strategy and write a business plan. Jacinta asked for feedback on how to increase profitability, increase productivity and improve financial management.

SharePeople linked this young, starting entrepreneur with Marieke Kamphuis, a young professional, working for Rabobank as a Risk analyst. Marieke was coached by a senior colleague who acted as mentor during the programme.

Results

Marieke and Jacinta made a thorough analysis of the company in its current state; organization, products, market, financial status etc. As a result they were able to identify the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) of the company. The results of the SWOT analysis was a good starting point to explore the different growth strategies. They defined the different strategies and identified by a quick scan, what activities were needed to make it work (e.g. personnel, finance, and housing) and what were the risks involved in order to determine the feasibility of the strategy.

Finally they defined a roadmap/plan which identified the next steps in order to reach the ultimate goal of growing the company.

Advice           

The above mentioned analysis resulted in the following deliveries, as originally planned:

• Business Plan
• SWOT analysis
• Identification of growth opportunities
• Better insight in financials

But more advice was needed. Marieke has been able to advice Jacinta also regarding HR issues and time management. At the same time the professional had a role for the entrepreneur as a sparring partner regarding general issues that Jacinta encountered in her daily business as an entrepreneur. One important issue for the entrepreneur was how to balance between business and social involvement. How to run a healthy profitable business and at the same time secure your social impact?

Impact on the partners

Jacinta Adonis:

‘Many people have been trying to tell me over the last years that I cannot change the whole world and do everything I want to do for my staff because it will affect my business, Marieke made me realize this and make it real, by showing the financial impact of these actions. I need to move my focus more on profits"

Marieke Kamphuis:

"It gave me confidence regarding what I as a young professional can add, even though I have not so much working experience yet. It became clear that I already have quite a lot of knowledge regarding business planning, financial insight, HR and time management."

"Besides, I had a wonderful time. It was amazing to experience so much social engagement and commitment from Jacinta. Also, it was great to feel the hospitality of the people in South Africa. Jacinta adopted me in her family during two weeks"

Follow up

Jacinta is a very busy entrepreneur and it is hard not to get caught up by the hectic of daily business. The plan and recommendations of Marieke give her useful guidelines. Also, she will use this plan to present to possible investors. Jacinta indicated that collaboration with SharePeople gave her business more credibility. Based upon Marieke's advice, Jacinta decided to hire a general manager, who is now assisted by someone who can help her with the strategic management of the business.

Jacinta participated in the Share People Experience Week in June 2010. This gave her the unique opportunity to exchange ideas with other social entrepreneurs from different countries. Also, she gained new insights regarding e.g. finance, marketing, organizational development.

This is a start of a two-year partnership between SharePeople and Cape Thyme Catering.  Both organisations will keep in touch (a.o. via the SharePeople liaison, at least every 3 months), and with the expert as well. After this Programme, an official update on the status of the organisation takes place every 12 months.