adminBusiness Correspondent
ELEVEN Sunnony distributors from Manicaland walked away with various prizes including plasma television sets and a French (double-door) refrigerator at the Sunnony herbal and health products business awards ceremony held in Mutare last Saturday.
This was the first time the national awards were decentralised and held outside Harare.
The annual awards honour Sunnony distributors who would have excelled into the bronze (over 5 000 accumulative sales per year), silver (20 000) and gold (60 000) categories.
Ms Rosemary Takabika, a shop owner, was the only one who entered the silver category and received a French door refrigerator with an ice-maker.
The 10 other distributors who were in the bronze category received plasma television sets.
Ms Takabika, who was elated, said she was now eyeing the gold category next year where she stands to win a Mercedes Benz.
“I am happy to have won and upgraded into the silver category. I have only been in the Sunnony business for four years and the benefits are overwhelming.
“I want to encourage people out there to take up Sunnony distribution especially youths who are jobless and just sitting at home.
“Business in the herbal sector is fast growing. I see the trade as a big saviour to idle youths out there,” said Ms Takabika.
Sunnony Harare branch manager, Mr Godfrey Dhlana, said countrywide Sunnony now had over 20 000 distributors and 25 shop owners since setting up in 2009.
In Manicaland alone there are 230 distributors. The firm is already expanding its market in Southern Africa, having opened shop in Zambia last year.
“Network marketing is serving many families in our present economic situation in the country with high unemployment rates due to company closures.
“We can talk of network marketing in Oceanes Collections perfumes or airtime vendors, so many families are surviving from these trades.
“Demand for our herbal and health products is actually growing worldwide and as Sunnony we are proud to be playing our part in transforming lives and creating business opportunities for our distributors,” said Mr Dhlana.
Zimbabwe’s first distributor of Sunnony products, Mrs Netia Chinhondo, who started in 2009, encouraged network marketing citing how profitable it was.
She said over the years she has worked her way up the ladder winning all the way to the gold category.
“In 2009 I first won a plasma television set then in 2010 I won a French refrigerator (double-door) and a laptop. In 2012 I won a Mercedes Benz and next year I am eyeing to win a residential stand.
“Through network marketing of Sunnony products, I have managed to fend for my family. The trade is very simple and does not press on academic qualifications,” said Mrs Chinhondo.
She said the turnover was rewarding for distributors, citing that some earned a commission of $200 per week, adding that Sunnony wholesale prices were the cheapest compared to other Chinese herbal and health products on the market.
To qualify to trade, one needs to become a member of the Sunnony network and start selling the herbal medicines on a commission basis.
The more people one recruits, the more points one scores.
Sunnony products also include mineral supplements such as detox tea, green tea, and constipation tea.
The herbal products are also registered with the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe.
Online Reporter