How Sihle Magubane Turned Sihle’s Brew into South Africa’s Premier Coffee Brand
How Sihle Magubane Turned Sihle’s Brew into South Africa’s Premier Coffee Brand. In 2012, Sihle Magubane, a young man from Nkandla in KwaZulu‑Natal, founded Sihle’s Brew from humble roots. Armed with passion and training as a barista, he set out to bring high‑quality, flavour‑rich coffee to South Africa and, over the next decade, built the country’s leading black‑owned coffee brand.
A Journey Guided by Determination
After losing his mother at 16, Sihle juggled school with two jobs, as a gardener and pizza maker. His breakthrough came when he was accepted into Ciro Coffee Academy, a turning point that led him to a barista trainer role and instilled in him a lifelong respect for quality and craft.
Crafting a Brand Rooted in Excellence
By 2012, Sihle had launched his coffee brand. He meticulously sourced top‑grade beans from Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Guatemala, and Brazil, roasting them himself to create distinctive blends that contrast South Africa’s preference for sweet profiles. His early batches, roasted weekly in a small Randburg factory, led to hiring staff and increasing production based purely on reinvested earnings.
Learning Business Fundamentals
By 2014 Sihle was generating R500 000 in revenue but still struggling financially. That changed when he joined the GIBS supplier development programme, where he excelled, reevaluated his financial management, and restructured his business model. Armed with that training and grant funding, he bought his first roaster in 2018 and pushed into retail outlets.
Breaking into Major Retail
Persistence paid off. After years of approaching major retailers, Sihle’s Brew was launched in Pick n Pay in August 2021, starting with four blends. Within 15 days, 29 units sold, and the next month volume tripled. Today his products are stocked in over 350 Pick n Pay stores, and he roasts for Pick n Pay’s own ground coffee range sold in 500 locations.
Expanding Reach and Services
Sihle’s Brew has grown to employ people and recently welcomed more staff, directly attributing that to Pick n Pay’s listings. Beyond product retailing, he opened four coffee shops, though two closed during lockdown. His brand now also offers barista training and event services, having trained more than 20 baristas to date.
A Roadmap for Aspiring Founders
Sihle’s Brew shows that mastering your craft, developing business smarts, and persevering through challenges are crucial to building a brand with impact. The brand goes further by creating jobs, setting new industry benchmarks, and giving back through mentorship, proving that business success and social impact can, and should, go hand in hand. Aspiring entrepreneurs should study this model: it isn’t just about passion for the product, it’s about layering it with discipline, financial literacy, and community focus.
