MBABANE – A showcase at the 2026 Standard Bank Luju Food & Lifestyle Festival has opened new commercial opportunities for livestock-based micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
“The Luju preparatory training helped me engage buyers professionally and present Melane Leather as a memorable brand. Several visitors expressed interest in placing orders, and we hope these connections will lead to new markets,” she said.
Simelane previously secured an order for laptop bags following an EU and ITC-supported appearance at the 2026 MTN Bushfire Festival. The products were later shipped through Cape Town to Australia, demonstrating how festival exposure can create opportunities beyond Eswatini.
For Interactive Jungle Investments, the festival marked its first appearance at Luju, and founder Mxolisi Shabangu said the business secured orders and generated promising sales leads.
“Demand for our products is growing, and I plan to train more people so that we can increase production, meet customer demand and create employment opportunities,” Shabangu said.
Lupondvo Designs founder Mduduzi Dlamini said feedback received during the festival had inspired plans to expand the company’s button-making operation.
“The Prime Minister encouraged me to expand the button-making side of the business. I am now planning to develop it into a proper product line for the wider national market,” Dlamini said.
Bliss Burgers also reported strong sales performance, selling half of the burgers projected for the entire festival on the first day.
Founder Mlungisi Magongo said customer demand had encouraged the business to think beyond event-based trading.
“Customers were asking where they could find us after Luju. The strong response has reinforced our plans to move beyond event-based trading by opening a permanent Bliss Burgers outlet and introducing packaged patties and burger buns for customers to purchase,” Magongo said.
Three youth-led businesses were among the eight ELVCDP-supported enterprises, highlighting opportunities for young people in livestock processing, food production, leatherwork and creative manufacturing.
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