How Manufacturing StartUp Kombo King Was Founded
How Manufacturing StartUp Kombo King Was Founded. Kombo King (Pty) Ltd is a 100% black-controlled company which focuses on designing and producing smart controlled fast food frying equipment. Kombo King aims to become a force in manufacturing; this will provide the country with much-needed, skilled and semi-skilled jobs through the manufacturing sector and retail industry.
Growing up in the Townships of South Africa, Kombo Kings co-founder, Zitulele “KK” Combi, understood the massive demand and gap in the market for quick, consistent and healthier fried food that is freely and easily available.
This all clicked into place when KK visited China ten years ago, as part of the South African economic delegation. It wasn’t fried food but noodles, the Chinese staple, as the locals lined up in front of a vending machine at an airport. The idea popped out… Africa and fried food. He was already thinking big…a vending machine for fried food.
Back home, KK embarked on the project with Ari Jacobson. Together, the entrepreneurs co-founded Kombo King, focusing on the drive to create consistent product out of a fryer that could be anywhere… no external extraction needed. The added element was speed… products should take just three minutes!
Kombo King can now boast customers such as PnP, Engen and King Pie whilst targeting further major retailers. While the company has strong blue-chip clientele, there is still excitement for the informal sector – a business-in-a-box solution for a township trader.
