After receiving a life changing business opportunity, Yolande Buckley transformed her passion for food into Simply Deli, a proudly South African brand now reaching customers through SPAR stores.
Image: Supplied.
A business born from a passion for food and a willingness to reinvent has grown from a home kitchen operation into a proudly South African brand available on SPAR shelves.
Simply Deli founder Yolande Buckley’s entrepreneurial journey is a story of resilience, opportunity and the power of market access, highlighting how small businesses can scale when given the right support.
The company, which manufactures cook in sauces and marinades, is one of the small businesses benefiting from the SPAR Supplier Development Programme, an initiative designed to help emerging suppliers build capability, meet retail requirements and grow sustainable businesses.
Buckley’s journey began nearly five decades ago, but a defining moment came in 2003 when her previous employer gifted her the Thanda Bantu Catering business, giving her the opportunity to build on her culinary experience and develop her own entrepreneurial path.
“It was a moment of having to reinvent the wheel,” Buckley said.
“Drawing on nearly five decades of experience, I began developing my own recipes in 2020 by refining flavours, perfecting techniques and reimagining how my food could reach people beyond the catering table. A year later in 2021, Simply Deli was born.”
The transition from catering to retail, however, came with a familiar challenge for many small businesses: gaining access to larger markets.
For Buckley, the SPAR Supplier Development Programme provided the support needed to bridge that gap.
The programme assists entrepreneurs with practical tools and knowledge, including food safety compliance, certification, labelling and product testing. It also creates opportunities for small brands to access SPAR’s retail network, giving them exposure to a wider customer base.
After receiving a life changing business opportunity, Yolande Buckley transformed her passion for food into Simply Deli, a proudly South African brand now reaching customers through SPAR stores.
Image: Supplied.
“For a growing brand such as ours, being associated with a retailer like SPAR is incredibly valuable,” Buckley said.
“It’s been a turning point in my journey. It’s helped me align Simply Deli with retail requirements and not just product quality, but consistency, packaging and scalability.”
The journey reflects the broader role small businesses are expected to play in South Africa’s economy. With SMMEs projected to drive a significant share of future job creation, supporting entrepreneurs has become an important part of economic development.
SPAR said supplier development is about more than helping individual businesses grow. It is about strengthening communities and creating opportunities through local enterprise.
“Entrepreneurship has the power to shift the dial on many of South Africa’s socio economic challenges,” a SPAR spokesperson said.
“By equipping suppliers with the right tools and knowledge, we are helping them build sustainable businesses that can thrive within their communities.”
For Buckley, the partnership has changed the way she approaches business, moving from producing food products to building a scalable retail brand.
“Overall, it has changed how I approach my business from a retail perspective,” she said.
“It has positioned me to grow within the SPAR ecosystem and alongside other SPAR suppliers and retailers. The SPAR network is filled with the very best people doing some amazing things in their stores and their communities.”
The Simply Deli story also highlights the importance of consumers supporting locally produced products. For shoppers, every purchase represents an opportunity to support South African entrepreneurs creating jobs and building businesses.
As demand continues to grow for convenient meal solutions, Buckley said Simply Deli remains focused on delivering quality products that fit into everyday lifestyles.
“We are committed to delivering products that help people create delicious meals quickly and easily, whether at home, on holiday or sharing time with family and friends,” she said.
After receiving a life changing business opportunity, Yolande Buckley transformed her passion for food into Simply Deli, a proudly South African brand now reaching customers through SPAR stores.
Image: Supplied.
From a passion for cooking to a brand reaching households across the country, Simply Deli’s growth demonstrates how access, mentorship and determination can help small businesses move beyond survival and into sustainable success.
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