From Gazebo to Franchise Dream: The Inspiring Tale of Kota 2 Nice by Neliswa Mntungwa
From Gazebo to Franchise Dream: The Inspiring Tale of Kota 2 Nice by Neliswa Mntungwa. When Neliswa Mntungwa launched Kota 2 Nice in 2019, she started with a simple street-food vision and a borrowed gazebo in Pietermaritzburg’s Imbali township. Today, that vision has evolved into a thriving fast-food brand celebrated for its creativity, resilience, and community focus. Neliswa’s journey offers aspiring entrepreneurs a blueprint for turning obstacles into stepping stones and building a brand grounded in culture, authenticity, and strategic growth.
The First Flip: From Corporate to Kota Queen
Neliswa spent over seven years in a corporate role before being retrenched in 2018. Faced with a sudden income gap, she turned to a childhood memory: the kota, a street-food sandwich she had enjoyed in Pretoria. Recognizing its scarcity in Pietermaritzburg, she saw an opportunity to fill that gap. In 2019, leveraging her business studies background and culinary instinct, she set up her first kota stall from home, cooking in her kitchen, selling on the streets.
Lesson: When one door closes, revisit defining personal experiences, then build something meaningful from them.
Humble Beginnings, Powerful Positioning
With only a gazebo and a love for food, Neliswa launched her brand in the heart of Imbali Youth Enterprise Park. She crafted a lively vibe, chats, laughter, warmth, alongside her kotas. Her creative branding, even naming it Kota 2 Nice to mirror township culture, turned a simple meal into an experience. Soon, local food lovers shared her creations on social media, turning satisfied customers into free brand ambassadors.
Lesson: Let atmosphere and cultural authenticity be your marketing, a joyful product becomes a shared memory.
Scaling in a Challenging Economy
Neliswa needed every rand for growth. She minimized costs by making sauces and ingredients from scratch. She introduced combo deals, adapted menus to match budgets, and tapped into local festivals to boost sales. With reinvested profits, she upgraded from street stall to a mobile kitchen unit, and eventually into a formal venue within Imbali’s Youth Enterprise Park, thanks to support from Msunduzi Municipality.
Lesson: Business growth isn’t always about funding, it’s about resourcefulness and incremental steps tailored to real markets.
Building Momentum Through Community
Kota 2 Nice stands out not only for its food but for its roots. Neliswa employs local youth, giving them more than a job, an opportunity. She fosters a close-knit customer base, turning first-timers into regulars. A viral moment came when a grateful customer paid her monthly rent after receiving a comforting meal. That act reinforced what Kota 2 Nice represented: community, compassion, and mutual support.
Lesson: Treat customers with respect and kindness, loyalty and goodwill often follow act of genuine care.
Innovation Behind the Brand
1. Purposeful Menu Curation
Neliswa experimented creatively, adding wings, rib combos, salads, to energize the classic kota. Seasonal specials and flexible pricing kept customers returning.
2. Narrative Marketing
She leveraged local media and digital platforms to share her journey, job loss, startup hustle, storefront success, creating a human brand mosaic that resonated deeply.
3. Relationship-Based Growth
Every festival, collaborative popup or Instagram shoutout was a strategic move, built on trust and reciprocity, not ads.
Lesson: Innovation isn’t just tech, it’s adaptive menus, heartfelt storytelling, and genuine partnerships.
Challenges and Resilience
Neliswa weathered undercapitalization, long hours, and supply inflation. During lockdowns, shifting to takeaway and delivery kept revenue streaming. Facing these challenges head-on, she remained hands-on, cooking, budgeting, mentoring staff. She often reminds entrepreneurs: sweat equity translates to emotional resilience.
Lesson: A founder’s grit sets the tone. Be a hands-on leader who adapts fast and stays driven.
Actionable Takeaways
- Lean Launch – Test your idea with minimal budget to validate before scaling.
- Cultural Connection – Infuse brand identity with local flavour and vibe.
- Reinvest Smartly – Use early profits to build infrastructure steadily.
- Tell Your Story – Share setbacks and wins openly to build trust.
- Embed in Community – Hire locally and give back, it builds loyalty and pride.
Conclusion
From a simple street-food stall to a local kitchen known for good vibes and great kotas, Neliswa Mntungwa’s Kota 2 Nice is a testament to entrepreneurial resilience. Her path shows that purpose, authenticity and community-focused strategy can transform a fleeting idea into a beloved brand. For founders dreaming of launching their own ventures, her story is a beacon: stay grounded, keep iterating, remain generous and your brand will be more than a business; it will be a movement.
