Mielie - South Africa
Mielie is a handcraft business, based at the Montebello Design Centre in Newlands, Cape Town. Mielie is Afrikaans for corn, the staple diet of most South Africans, and probably the first item on most of the weaver’s shopping list. Mielie was started by Adri Schütz (owner and designer) in June 2002, working with a group of people who work from their homes in the greater Cape Town area. The company currently works with 70 people. Once a week all the women and men that produce the products meet at Mielie’s to deliver the completed products, work on refining some faulty items, check and control quality of products, and get new orders. Working from home means that mothers can be with their children and transport costs are kept to a minimum. For someone to go daily to work could cost between R30 and R50 per day.
Mielie’s product range is varied and includes one best product, the hooked handbags. These handbags have been designed by Adri Schütz and produced utilizing reclaimed materials, these bags are handmade therefore creates many jobs for the women at Khayelitsha (a Township nearby Cape Town).
Mielie currently faces the following challenges:
1. Costing & Pricing of product
2. Sales Agents / Distributors relationship
3. The need for a easy to use catalogue with a “reduced” list of products.
4. Establish a Large-Volume discount pricing structure for buyers
5. Propose a pricing structure for the new website, that will not conflict with current international Distributor pricing.
6. Develop a company Mission Statement and Marketing and Sales Plan.
7. Develop a Business Plan.