Funky Ouma: How Anneke van Rooyen and Johannita Eksteen Spiced Up South African Kitchens

Funky Ouma: How Anneke van Rooyen and Johannita Eksteen Spiced Up South African Kitchens. At 67, most people think about slowing down, but for Anneke van Rooyen, becoming a grandmother of ten was the perfect time to shake things up. Known fondly as a “funky ouma,” Anneke had spent her life experimenting with food, herbs, and spices, but it wasn’t until she teamed up with her youngest daughter, Johannita Eksteen, that her culinary creativity turned into a business. Together, they founded Funky Ouma in 2012 on their farm outside Paarl, South Africa, transforming Anneke’s homegrown passion into a brand that would redefine how South Africans cook and braai.

The idea was born during a difficult period when Anneke’s husband was battling cancer. The family removed preservatives and artificial colorants from his diet, experimenting with natural flavors and salt blends. This hands-on exploration highlighted a gap in the market: healthy, flavorful, and versatile herb-infused salts and spice mixes. Funky Ouma was their answer, combining wellness with taste, creativity, and a personal touch.

From Farm to Table: A Commitment to Quality

Funky Ouma’s products revolve around naturally homegrown herbs and coarse Himalayan salt sourced from Walvis Bay and the Himalayas. Each blend is carefully crafted for cooking, marinating, braais, baking, or even just as a table salt. The use of natural ingredients, rosemary, oregano, coriander, onion flakes, sweet peppers, dried chilies, lemon zest, and exotic peppercorns, ensures every mix is full of flavor and health benefits.

The company started with herb-infused salts and spices but has steadily expanded its product range to include coffee, extra-virgin olive oil, gift boxes, and turmeric and ginger boosters. Despite this growth, Funky Ouma maintains a strong commitment to quality and customer service, ensuring every product lives up to the brand’s promise of taste, natural ingredients, and attention to detail.

Strategic Growth and Product Innovation

A major turning point for Funky Ouma was the decision to diversify beyond salts and spices. By introducing complementary products like coffee and olive oil, the brand strengthened its market presence and built loyalty among customers who value wholesome, versatile offerings. This strategy of gradual, consistent expansion has allowed Funky Ouma to maintain authenticity while growing sustainably.

The business model also emphasizes hands-on production and farm-to-table authenticity. The factory, herb garden, and lemon orchard are all located on the family farm, ensuring quality control and a unique connection between the land and the product. This approach differentiates Funky Ouma from larger, industrial competitors and reinforces the brand story of freshness, locality, and care.

A Family-Driven Workforce

Funky Ouma’s strength extends beyond its products. The team of 15 local employees, including 12 women and 2 men, embodies the brand’s family ethos. Staff members are actively involved in every aspect of production: harvesting herbs, mixing salts, labeling, administration, and even supporting family needs when creativity or focus is required. This tightly knit, collaborative environment ensures high-quality products and a strong, motivated team.

The family-centered culture also allows Johannita to balance motherhood with her entrepreneurial role while keeping Anneke at the heart of the brand. Their shared values of care, fun, and collaboration are not only good for internal culture but also resonate with customers, who appreciate knowing that their products are made with love and community spirit.

Lessons for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Funky Ouma’s journey offers several key lessons for anyone building a brand:

• Turn personal experience into opportunity: Anneke’s family-focused experimentation revealed a market gap that became the foundation for a successful brand.
• Focus on quality and authenticity: Sourcing natural ingredients and producing on the family farm created a product customers trust.
• Expand carefully: Gradual diversification into coffee, gift boxes, and olive oil strengthened the brand without compromising core values.
• Build a collaborative team: A motivated, multi-skilled team aligned with the brand vision amplifies productivity and customer satisfaction.
• Keep the founder’s story central: Anneke’s story as a “funky ouma” makes the brand relatable and memorable, helping it stand out in a crowded market.

Spicing Up the Future

Funky Ouma has grown from a home experiment into a brand that enriches South African kitchens, supporting both flavor and wellness. The combination of a grandmother’s creativity, a daughter’s drive, and a dedicated team has made Funky Ouma a story of innovation, family, and purpose. By staying true to their values and continuing to expand thoughtfully, Anneke and Johannita have created more than a spice brand, they have created a movement that celebrates food, family, and community.