Ngwenya transforms community retail

A VILLAGE vendor, who was known for moving around the community selling kitchen utensils, has become the proprietor of a fast growing chain store in Hwange District.

Mr Gabrieal Ngwenya, born 22 November 1992 and a former pupil at Lupote Primary and Nechilibi Secondary, established Mega KG Supermarket, which now has four branches in the district.

From having only two traditional mainstream supermarkets in the whole of Hwange urban, the community now has options in Mega KG Supermarket whose branches are in Number 2, Number 3 and Lupote.

Mr Ngwenya started his retail shop business in Lupote, his home area before expanding into Hwange urban and has so far created 30 jobs.

After failing to proceed with his education beyond Ordinary Level because of financial challenges, Mr Ngwenya started buying kitchenware from town and reselling in his village.

In 2012 he looked for a tuck shop to rent for his business in Lupote outside Hwange town but was to be evicted a few months later.

“Fortunately, I had acquired a stand from the Hwange Rural District Council to build a general dealer shop. At that time I had enrolled with the University of South Africa to study business and entrepreneurship and life became very hard,” he said.

“I had to dispose of everything on my stock to be able to pay my school fees and that of my siblings who were in Form 1 and Grade 5 at the time,” said Mr Ngwenya.

He said he relocated to Bulawayo to look for a job and was employed as a loader at a wholesale and after some time he was elevated to a salesperson in the hardware department of the same shop.

Mr Ngwenya said he managed to save and pay school fees, as well as build his shop with his salary.

“I finished building my shop in 2018 and that is when I left my job to resume business in Lupote. The business grew and demand increased. Things changed for me and my family as business was successful because of our competitive prices and customer care,” he said.

He got married to Ms Kitso Dube in 2020 and she is one of the directors in the shop business. His younger sister Ms Wendy Ngwenya is one of the managers as the family builds a business empire that has become the talk of Hwange District.

Mr Ngwenya said he applied for business premises from the Hwange Colliery Company in 2018 and only got a response in 2021 when he was allocated an old library building, which he then renovated and opened the first store in Number 2 on 24 December 2022.

“We thank the community. Even when the superette was small, they continued supporting our business to an extent that it became small in terms of catering for product range.

“We applied for a bigger space and fortunately enough we were give a building, which we renovated and opened another branch in June 2023,” he said.

“At that time we were employing seven people for the Lupote and Number 2 shop. We increased to 15 people with the coming in of the second shop in Number 2. Seeing the impact we were making in the community in terms of supply of goods, the community in Number 3 approached HCCL Estates Department and requested a shop on our behalf.

“So, when the HCCL advertised for shops, the community wrote a letter of recommendation for us to get considered and we were offered a building, which we renovated and opened our third and bigger shop in Hwange urban. We opened in December last year and it has been brisk business as we have dedicated ourselves to serving the community,” said Mr Ngwenya.

He said the growth of his business is a result of God’s grace and support by his family and community.

The shops trades in a wide range of products including groceries, appliances, kitchenware and a butchery. Some residents of Number 2, Number 3 and Number 5 suburbs no longer go to town for groceries because of the competitive business by Mega KG Supermarket.

“Coming from a humble background helps even when you grow big because you know your success came from God. I believe it is God who raised me and my family from dust to glory.

“I work hard not to lose focus and for now we are a leading supermarket in Hwange and almost competing with the big boys,” he said.

Mr Ngwenya said most of his products are sourced locally as he supports brand Zimbabwe. Last Sunday the Number 3 shop was a hive of activity as the shop conducted a draw for its lucky winners.

Every quarter Mega KG runs shopping competitions where customers walk away with a variety of prizes including household goods.

In terms of corporate social responsibility, Mega KG Supermarket sponsors a football team that plays in Division 2 in Madumabisa. A soccer tournament was held on Sunday as part of the draw and the occasion was also used as a platform to raise awareness against drug and substance abuse.

At his village he has installed a solar-powered borehole and the community has opened a viable nutritional garden. Mr Ngwenya is also paying school fees for 10 learners at his two former schools.

He also took all his staff for a tour of the Victoria Falls last weekend to thank them for commitment to their work and ensure they socialise. The business now has a fleet of four vehicles. Mr Ngwenya said he uses social media to market his business.—@ncubeleon