From Schoolyard Starter to Poultry Leader: The Remarkable Rise of Sne Poultry Farm

From Schoolyard Starter to Poultry Leader: The Remarkable Rise of Sne Poultry Farm. Sne Ngubane began her venture during her matric year in 2017 in the rural area of uMhlabuyalingana, KwaZulu‑Natal. What started as a household chicken supply program evolved rapidly when she identified an unmet local demand. Beginning with just 30 chicks, she transformed these humble beginnings into a legitimate broiler chicken business supplying eggs and meat.

Scaling Slowly with Purpose

Driven by a growing local customer base, Sne expanded her flock to over 1,600 chickens over a few years. She branded her produce as “Sne Chickens” and began supplying live and processed chicken and eggs to vendors, schools, shisanyamas, restaurants, and community members in Manguzi and surrounding areas.

Community Says Yes When Crisis Hits

In October 2020 a devastating setback struck, Sne returned to find 174 of her chickens brutally killed in her coop. Only ten remained. She went public with her pain via social media, and the story resonated deeply. Within days, donations exceeding R10,000 poured in alongside offers to mentor or supply new chicks. This outpouring helped her rebuild infrastructure and adapt with more secure facilities.

Turning Injury into Opportunity

The tragedy tested her resilience but also validated her dedication to agriculture, not just profit. Sne decided then to focus more deliberately on marketing her business, building brand visibility, and strengthening community ties. That shift marked a notable turning point, she explicitly aimed to move from mere survival to consistent growth and credibility.

Building Trust Through Authenticity

Without large ad budgets, Sne relied on word-of-mouth and real relationships. She shared her story online, not for sympathy but to document her passion and her purpose. That authenticity, two things hard to buy, became her marketing strength. Community members, schools, and vendors who had seen her dedication became repeat customers and brand advocates.

Diversification and Strategic Growth

Over time she expanded product offerings, supplying both live birds and processed chicken to meet diverse customer needs. She also introduced eggs, broadening revenue streams. With demand rising locally, Sne began considering more ambitious expansions, like adding other livestock or integrating feed-to-product value chains. While not yet acted upon, her strategic ambitions reflect careful long-term thinking.

Marketing from the Heart

Sne’s motto became: “Start where you are, with what you have.” She often says farming must be driven by love, not money. That message resonated widely on social media where platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and X shared her story broadly via Women Power Africa, Kasi Hustlers and business network accounts. Her voice amplified because it was honest, relatable and rooted in humility.

Lessons for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

• Begin before you’re perfect. Sne started farming during matric, with minimal assets but a clear vision and willingness to learn.
• Be resilient after loss. The mass poultry loss could have ended her dream but she used the crisis as a catalyst for growth.
• Tell your story with transparency. Posting authentically about struggle and success earned trust and support, both emotional and financial.
• Leverage community brand advocates. Word-of-mouth marketing from returning customers and supporters fueled demand without paid advertising.
• Diversify strategically. Broilers, eggs, and future ambitions like goats or vegetables mean multiple income lines without losing focus.
• Use your background. Growing up around subsistence farming gave Sne both farming knowledge and credibility, she built on that by mentoring and accepting mentorship.

From Crisis to Crop‑able Vision

Sne Ngubane’s rise proves what’s possible when you start small and never stop learning. From 30 chicks to a local brand supplying chickens and eggs across KwaZulu‑Natal, she built Sne Poultry Farm on resilience, authenticity, and community. She turned a brutal attack into global support, public goodwill and renewed focus.

For young entrepreneurs, especially in agriculture, Sne’s saga offers a clear blueprint: start passionately, pivot after setbacks, nurture community trust, and expand strategically. Her story shows that real growth often follows hardship, when vision meets courage.

Sne Poultry Farm remains rooted in Manguzi, carrying Sne’s belief that ambition need not abandon origins. By supplying her own community, she quietly builds legacy and shows that true entrepreneurship blooms where purpose, place and perseverance meet.