Turning Scarred Past into a Skincare Powerhouse: How Relebohile Moeng Built Afri‑Berry

Turning Scarred Past into a Skincare Powerhouse: How Relebohile Moeng Built Afri‑Berry. Relebohile Moeng’s path from hardship to entrepreneurship began with personal pain. After suffering a serious car accident that left over 150 stitches on her face, she was on a journey for affordable, natural scar care. A discovery ‒ cold pressed argan oil from Morocco ‒ helped her heal. Then retrenchment hit. In 2011, armed with her MBA and the support of her husband Fabian, she took her healing solution and built Afri‑Berry, today a multi‑award‑winning organic skin and haircare brand.

From Trauma to Vision

Relebohile’s accident transformed into inspiration. She tested cold‑pressed argan oil and experimented with formulations from her family home. Loss of employment catalysed action. She began small, selling to friends and neighbours. When traction grew, they formalised Afri‑Berry in 2011, producing 100 percent vegan, cold‑pressed products.

Building on Heritage and Quality

Leveraging her GIBS MBA, Relebohile combined academic rigor with cultural storytelling. By branding Afri‑Berry as proudly African, guided by heritage, she carved a unique niche. She sourced real‑world ingredients like argan oil imported from Morocco and batch‑tested products.

Strategic Breakthrough: Listing in Clicks

It took patience and persistence, but in 2024, Afri‑Berry launched in over 120 Clicks stores across South Africa, Namibia, Eswatini and Botswana. Remarkably, the deal closed in just 30 days, far faster than typical timelines. When Black hair advertisement led to consumer backlash, Clicks committed to supporting Black‑owned beauty brands. Relebohile acted fast to secure shelf space.

Lesson: Be ready when the market changes. Consumer momentum opens doors if you’re prepared.

Earning Trust One Award at a Time

In 2018, a Sowetan LIVE profile captured Relebohile’s story, the retrenched professional turned beauty manufacturer. Later spotlighted Afri‑Berry as a success from “darkest despair,” noting strong performance in lockdown. Awards and media coverage reinforced credibility and introduced the brand to new audiences.

Lesson: Share your story widely. Human journeys build brand equity faster than promotions.

Scaling through Distribution and Exports

From humble local distribution, Afri‑Berry now stocks Clicks, Dis‑Chem, Pick n Pay, Checkers Hyper, Edgars, Faithful to Nature, Zando and other retailers. They have also expanded internationally, shipping to Namibia, eSwatini, Botswana, Mozambique ‑ and even China.

Lesson: Start distributed locally and expand gradually; ensure you have the supply chain in place.

Scaling Team and Employment Impact

In 2021, Afri‑Berry employed 45 people and supported over 50 graduate internships. The business did not just seek profit, it built opportunity. Structuring as a level‑1 BEE agro‑manufacturer rooted in community gave Afri‑Berry purpose.

Product Differentiation with Purpose

Afri‑Berry stood apart from global competitors using its “home‑field advantage.” Their cold‑pressed argan oil offered true efficacy for African hair and skin, and they embraced product education to win over buyers.

Lesson: Understand your customer and own your point of difference. Local relevance creates long‑lasting brand loyalty.

Diversification and Forward Momentum

Relebohile’s product range expanded, coated argan oil, virgin coconut oil, shea butter, black soap, shampoo, conditioner, Jamaican castor oil, all 100 percent vegan and chemical‑free. This diversification boosted the brand’s resilience.

Lesson: Once you gain distribution, expanding thoughtfully can deepen market share and increase customer value.

Conclusion

From stitches to shelves, Relebohile Moeng’s journey is a blueprint for purpose‑driven entrepreneurship. By converting struggle into innovation, leveraging strategic moments like retail listings and social momentum, and scaling mindfully with employment, she has built more than a brand, she built a movement.

For founders eager to build meaningful ventures, Afri‑Berry shows us that integrating story, strategy and societal impact drives lasting success and that hardship can become your springboard to greatness.