Beloved features a range of traditional foods that are unique to South Africa, which will bring smiles to the thousands of South African residents across the UAE and GCC. They will include favourites such as confectionary, snacks and soft drinks, as well as specialty items from eight proudly South African brands, which Beloved has acquired for exclusive distribution in the Middle East. With Mo being a son of the Lebanese-based Bohsali Sweets empire, Benita plans to add these to the company portfolio in a few weeks along with some items from Australia and Zimbabwe.

 

 

 

A major focus for the business is to import items that support social causes. One supplier will be the African Art Centre, whose products are made by villagers in rural Durban townships and which aims to create jobs for underprivileged inhabitants. Another supplier, Sage Kitchen, places beaded bracelets on their jars of relishes and jams which are hand made by widows in a Port Elizabeth township. Benita comments that, “Helping people living in townships, especially widows and their children, is a cause that is very close to my heart. The money made from selling their products goes towards hiring much-needed teachers and building schools.”