Don’t settle for average, keep pushing.

On image: Ntando Bushwana, owner of Unxano water brand.

Meet Ntando Bushwana, the man behind the Unxano water brand. Ntando was born and raised in the Western Cape, and currently resides in Cape Town. This amazing entrepreneur grew up in a very small town called Worcester. Raised by his mother who was very loving, free-spirited, and fiercely independent. “That woman was a breath of fresh air, a brightly burning candle in human form. We would go to church and church camps together. My mother would always encourage me to be who I want to be. So I’ve always been that child who was always doing what he can to make my mother proud,” he added.

When did you start Unxano Still Water and what inspired you to go for it? “I started the brand in October 2020. There is a growing preference for bottled water among the populace, especially in areas such as the Eastern, Northern and Western Cape, bottled water is now the main source of drinkable water for many people as water-scarcity and unclean water is an issue in those provinces. We are here to provide the masses with clean drinking water”.

Also, we wanted to create something that resonates with our language/culture which is isiXhosa. Every day people walk into stores and see all these brands with names they can’t even pronounce, some of them are foreign, so we decided to create something more South African. The name had to be catchy and easy to pronounce and remember for consumers, and that distinguishes our brand from competitors and it has a persona that will authentically engage our target market”.

What kind of challenges did you face when trying to get Unxano off the ground and how did you tackle those challenges? “The beginning of the COVID-19 lockdowns was a big challenge. Set backs are bound to happen in business, but lockdown made them worse. Factories closed down with no indication as to when this pandemic will ease off and when people will get their jobs back so sales could get a kickstart. However, we didn’t allow that huge setback to stop us or make us postpone Unxano from getting off the ground, we pushed and began in October 2020”.

What are you trying to achieve with Unxano Still Water and why? “The main plan is to expand and create jobs. Our aim is also to empower disadvantaged communities by educating and supplying clean water”.

How has the product been received thus far and what is motivating you to keep pushing Unxano? “The response has been really great, and the brand is growing. Our customers love the accessibility of using online services to order and the convenience of having it delivered on their doorstep. It was the best feeling ever to see everything coming together as planned and the response from my customers motivated me to do more”.

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