Founded by Constance Chauke in 2004, Conza’s Biscuits has turned surviving into thriving. Today, it is a multi-award-winning biscuit manufacturer that has continued to create employment and delicious moments.
When Constance first started the business, it was simply as a single mother from Protea Glen who was trying to make ends meet. With just five baking pans in her small kitchen, she started baking her handcrafted vanilla biscuits. Baking, packaging and selling all occurred within those walls. She was selling between 100 and 150 biscuits a day to neighbours and commuters at busy taxi ranks.
Today’s Biscuit Success
These days, the business is managed by her daughters, Rirhandzu and Rhulani Chauke and operates from Midrand, where it employs 16 people from surrounding areas like Tembisa. It also supplies a wide network of large retailers, service stations and resellers across South Africa.
“During lockdown, we realised that supermarkets were categorised as ‘essential needs’,” Rhulani Chake shares about their opportunity to scale. “We then took a chance by visiting the stores and talking to the franchisees to stock our products, as we knew that homestyle biscuits are an essential need. We approached a number of them and started with four stores, building from there.”
To ensure the delicious homemade feel and consistent quality remain now that the mother-daughter trio manufactures on a large scale, they follow the Global Food Safety Initiative programme. “It is an industry certificate that is required by all big retail stores. This talks to Food Safety, Compliance, Process, System, Personal Hygiene and Legal certification to ensure that our products are safe to consume and that we remain compliant at all times.”
Making products available in retail stores requires businesses to position their pricing just right. “You must understand your numbers and never underestimate the time value of money,” she emphasised. “You need to review your figures daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly so you always know where you stand compared to where you want to be. Make sure your cost-to-sale is calculated accurately so you are not working at a loss. Invest in a reliable accountant and stay compliant at all times, especially with SARS.”
Success Made Possible Through Support
The ongoing growth and sustainability of Conza Biscuits has been supported by Tiger Brands’ Enterprise and Supplier Development (ESD) initiatives, focusing on emerging and small businesses in local communities. Tiger Brands provided Conza’s with much-needed manufacturing equipment and a delivery vehicle, amongst other support. “Support came where we needed it the most. We had no funds to fulfil a large franchise order, which was our biggest order to date. Support from Tiger Brands will help us attract more business, create more jobs, and innovate more using Tiger Brands products,” Constance Chauke said in a statement.
Navigating Family and Business
Rhulani Chauke says that she and her sister grew up in a business environment, even if it was informal. “Our mom sold jumble sale items, fruit and vegetables, and our grandmother ran a furniture store and a tuck shop. From an early age, we learnt that everything we do should benefit the business, and that understanding keeps us focused no matter what challenges or differences arise.” It is this understanding and business mindset that enables them to make business decisions without family dynamics getting in the way. “My sister and I are very close, only two years apart, so we grew up as each other’s best friends and were always close to our mom, too. That foundation makes it easy for us to work together, stay aligned and live our purpose every day.”
A Multi-Award-Winning Biscuit Brand
Conza’s Biscuits isn’t just a biscuit bakery; it is a business that continues to innovate. In fact, it is some of its innovations that enabled it to win two awards at the 2025 edition of the Township Economy Awards. Conzas Biscuits was honoured with two awards, namely the Food & Beverage Innovator of the Year and Best Female Entrepreneur of the Year.
According to the Chauke sisters, what has enabled them to stand out is that their business is so much more than just building their own brand. “We are not only producing products for the end consumer, but also allowing other small businesses to buy our products and place their own label, which is known as ‘white labelling’.
“This is what made us stand out: We are allowing people of all ages, races, cultures and varying abilities to make money using our products. We also saw a gap in the market, in this case, that homestyle biscuits are not readily available.
“We are proud Tsonga women who believe that township businesses can thrive nationally and globally,” says Rhulani Chauke. “This is only the beginning of our growth story.”
Previously, Conza’s Biscuits also participated in the Bambelela Business Awards 2024 and was one of the runner-ups.
