From Personal Wellness Journey to National Brand: What Entrepreneurs Can Learn from Dimakatso Lekekela and Zuri Nutrition
From Personal Wellness Journey to National Brand: What Entrepreneurs Can Learn from Dimakatso Lekekela and Zuri Nutrition. When Dimakatso Lekekela launched Zuri Nutrition in 2020, she transformed a deeply personal journey into a thriving South African wellness brand. Inspired by her grandmother’s homemade remedies and driven by her own health needs, she set out to create high-quality, science-backed supplements that blend beauty and health. Here’s an inspiring article of Zuri Nutrition’s evolution, showing how passion, strategy, and resilience combined to build a brand worth emulating.
Discovering a Purpose-Driven Brand
Dimakatso’s relationship with nutrition began at home, watching her grandmother mix beauty elixirs without a chemistry degree. After completing studies in media, brand leadership, fitness, and nutrition, she was determined to create products that made people look and feel their best. Her first creation was Moriri Blend, a healthy hair supplement developed in 2020 after two years of rigorous research.
Lesson One: Build on lifelong insight. When your brand reflects personal experience and research, it gains authentic roots.
Starting Small With Big Intentions
Zuri Nutrition was launched as a survivalist enterprise. Dimakatso freelanced to raise startup capital, reinvested every cent from sales, and secured an NYDA grant to accelerate further product development.
Lesson Two: Reinvent resourcefully. When traditional funding is scarce, leverage income, sweat equity, and targeted grants to fuel progress.
Wearing Many Hats-Then Scaling Smart
In the early stages, Dimakatso served as CEO, designer, marketing strategist, operations manager, and packer. By 2021, she began hiring specialized support, including part-time copywriters and an accountant, to maintain professionalism as sales grew.
Lesson Three: Balance hustle with structure. Founders must initially do it all but build systems early to avoid burnout and maintain quality.
Strategic Product Portfolio Decisions
Zuri’s brand pillars vegan, halal, ISO-certified, and plant-powered, have shaped its reputation. Products like Khanyisa Smooth (acne relief), Carb Cut (appetite control), and Shred Extreme (fat burning) tackle real consumer challenges and they’re available online and through trusted retailers such as Faithful to Nature, Takealot, and Makro.
Lesson Four: Solve real problems with ethical products. Transparent ingredient sourcing and targeted health benefits build consumer trust.
Digital Marketing and Outreach Strategy
Zuri leveraged social media and SEM to reach customers directly, employing brand ambassadors and supplements affiliate programs to spur sales. Dimakatso’s strategy included interviews on YFM and STAR FM to share her story widely.
Lesson Five: Promote with personality. Story-driven marketing keeps traffic as close as transactions, create both.
Building Credibility Through Recognition
In 2024 Zuri swept awards including Top Health and Wellness Award at the Top 16 Youth-Owned Brand Awards, was featured on True Love Magazine’s Watchlist, and landed on YouFM’s #MindYourHustle series.
Lesson Six: Public honors amplify trust. Awards and media features build instant credibility and open new doors.
Expanding Access While Keeping Quality
Zuri now sells through Zulzi on-demand, delivering supplements in 15 minutes in major metros. It is also expanding its retail footprint in Makro and Takealot, and is planning new product launches to broaden its offering.
Lesson Seven: Scale distribution intelligently. Use partnerships and digital platforms to reach more customers without compromising quality.
Mission Beyond Profit
Zuri partners with The Lunchbox Fund to support school feeding schemes. Dimakatso is passionate about supporting women, promoting self-love, empowerment, and informed wellness.
Lesson Eight: Integrate cause into core. When community becomes part of your business model, brand loyalty and meaning deepen.
Key Milestones at a Glance
| Milestone | Strategic Insight |
|---|---|
| 2020 – Launch of Moriri Blend | Solve a need you understand deeply |
| 2021 – NYDA funding secured | Use grants to accelerate development |
| 2022 – Retail partnerships begin | Expand reach via trusted channels |
| 2023 – Broadcast interviews | Build trust through storytelling |
| 2024 – Major awards and quick delivery | Credibility earns visibility and convenience |
Actionable Advice for Entrepreneurs
- Start where you’re passionate and knowledgeable.
- Fund progress through hustle and selective grants.
- Delegate before the strain starts.
- Create products that genuinely help.
- Tell your story on platforms people trust.
- Rely on external validation to build authority.
- Scale smartly using partnerships and tech.
- Embed giving into your business model.
Final Word
Zuri Nutrition proves that brand success comes when passion meets planning, and empathy drives enterprise. Dimakatso Lekekela’s journey shows that starting with intention, scaling with integrity, and empowering others can build a brand that matters as much as it sells. For aspiring entrepreneurs, Zuri offers a crystal clear lesson: health, heart, hustle, and honesty, that’s always a winning formula.
