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27 July 2018
Thina Maziya is an entrepreneurial powerhouse: the co-founder and marketing head of the only Black-owned plastic manufacturing and recycling company in South Africa. She is a dedicated mother-of-three, wife and business partner to her husband, Mike, with whom she runs the highly successful Verigreen in Pinetown, KwaZulu-Natal.
Verigreen’s flagship brand is Supa Mama, which in 2012 started out as a range of drawstring refuse bags, but now includes cooking, baking, freezing and food protection products.
Supa Mama also empowers unemployed women through a waste collection and recycling programme.
“The Supa Mama programme was born in answer to the plight of women with children, who lack the financial resources to feed and educate them properly.”
- Thina Maziya, Founder of Supa Mama
The programme pays women a premium rate for uncontaminated plastic waste, which is recycled and used in the production of Supa Mama products.
Thina and Mike were awarded as one of the Shoprite Group's 2017 Suppliers of Year. She says the award is confirmation of their business acumen and credibility, and sees it as a "massive boost" for their business.
Her advice to aspiring business women:
“Identify an unmet customer need and satisfy it; keep abreast of competition through design and innovation; and don't compromise on brand promises.”