Many entrepreneurial guides emphasize the importance of not just identifying a gap in the market but also understanding why one is well-suited to fill that gap.
While this may seem like common sense, the wisdom of this advice becomes apparent in hindsight. When faced with challenges, the allure of abandoning the pursuit of profit becomes more pronounced, and the temptation to succumb to it grows stronger. Organic Naturals Skincare has experienced all of these challenges and more in its journey of becoming. Yet, assessing the achievements of this startup within its initial five years might mislead one into thinking that the path it has walked is an easy one.
The trajectory of the business was shaped by its founder, Didintle Moreki, whose inspiration stemmed from a simple yet deeply personal challenge – acne. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, “approximately 85 percent of people between the ages of 12 and 24 experience at least minor acne.” Despite being a multifactorial condition, acne is sometimes unfairly dismissed as a personality flaw, resulting in uninformed judgments and significant internalized stigma. Having experienced acne herself, Moreki retraced the steps of her ancestors, discovering a path toward a more confident and prosperous future.
As the leading manufacturer of premium skincare products in Botswana, they take pride in harnessing the power of indigenous plants found in Sub-Saharan Africa, such as Morula and Moringa, to craft skincare solutions that celebrate the region’s natural beauty. Speaking to Moreki about how they have experienced clientele shifts since inception, she shares that they “are seeing a bridge of transitions – especially from clientele that is fairly disappointed in major brands and their lack of delivery on their claims”.
Having to serve as both producer and psychosocial support is a challenge that naturally comes with the terrain as some clients harbour fright from being underserved by skincare manufacturers. “We pride ourselves in being a brand that manufactures skincare products with an understanding of the environment you stay in and the climate,” says the potion maker, adding, “in short, I want people to know that every single Organic Naturals Skincare product is formulated with them in mind.”
As a business set up by a worldly young woman, the customer segments reflect her experiences. “Our three segments include people of all gender identities aged 21-35 years old who are either transitioning to basic skincare or starting routines; all women aged 38-50 years old who have had key skin concerns over years or may just be starting off a skincare routine because of a new skin concern; and spas and hotels that are going green and considering sustainably efficient skincare” offers Moreki.
Perhaps what nuances these demographics is that they represent individuals with a taste for life’s luxurious skincare solutions that are active while having roots in indigenous African knowledge and science. The proof in their proverbial pudding has garnered attention from markets beyond the bounds of Botswana.
Faithful to Nature, the South African pioneer in offering conscious consumers a wide range of ethically sourced and sustainable products, has come on board as a partner with the young outfit to broaden its market access through e-commerce. “This exciting partnership showcases a shared commitment to quality, ethics, and sustainability in the world of skincare” chimes Moreki.
Mutually motivated to keep their products free from genetically modified organisms (GMOs), Paraben-Free, the partners also ensure that they promote recyclable packaging that has a low environmental impact along with committing to the protection of critical rainforests and biodiversity by avoiding the use of palm oil in their products. With Botswana party to effectively removing harmful skin-lightening products from shelves across Africa, it is the interventions of brands such as Organic Naturals Skincare that counter long-held notions of beauty dependent on chemical enhancement.
The global organic skin care market was valued at USD 9.90 billion in 2021, according to Polaris Market Research. The growth of this market was originally shrouded in niche characterisations, however, with the prominence of the promotion of healthier ways of living, it has come to witness people converting to it. We have seen the proliferation of demand for Kalahari melon, shea butter, Morula and other veld products that have often been ghettoized due to the assumption that there is no intelligence behind the use of their properties.
One of the greatest motivators for Moreki’s growth mapping has been “going into stores and not seeing solutions made in Botswana”, she laughs, continuing, “you won’t believe it, but I am always stunned when l see the absence of homegrown solutions, specifically having cosmetics in telling Botswana’s story of having the full capacity to produce more good things in different industries.”
The personal connection the young entrepreneur has to the solutions the business offers traces as far back as learning natural alchemy by example from her grandmother; as such, growth to a global digital market feeds her excitement. “Digital presence plays a crucial role in our business model, so we are thrilled to see its evolution continue to shape how we tell the story of our value proposition to the world”, she says, still reminding that “it links us – a brand from a small population of 2 million people – to the rest of the billions of people in this world. I’d like to see this dynamic platform play a key role in sharing our narrative of skincare made in Botswana, engaging our customers, as well as providing educational content about skincare.”
Moreki isn’t shy to paint with all the colours of her experience. Having stepped into the field as a producer before being a businessperson, she shares: “as we expand, we are seeing how policies make or break businesses; and while I utterly hate using businesses as a reference, they’re directly affected. Policies on licensing, on manufacturing, on exporting or even on which stores can give space for you to retail locally are a major challenge”.
As she accrues her acumen, she reflects that beyond some counterintuitive and restrictive policies, “when seeking funding from development banks, you are punished for growing, let alone wanting to colour outside of the lines”. This is further compounded when matters of cross-border commerce arise. “Logistics are a nightmare”, she says with an air of meditated fury, “we want to export, however, African logistics make this exercise exorbitantly expensive, so we spend a lot of time wondering and strategizing on how to sell or transport goods.”
With Botswana recently ratifying the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) – which, ironically, was signed at the 10th Extraordinary Summit of the AU Assembly on 21 March 2018 in the same year Organic Naturals Skincare was established – the horizon appears promising for the likes of Moreki. This is not lost on her, and she has been an active party in doing multi-stakeholder awareness raising on the potential it bears.
The partnership with Faithful to Nature along with the responsibility borne to local businesses means that imagining Organic Naturals Skincare Mowana and Morula serum, Activated Charcoal and Moringa bar soap, Turmeric and Carrot bar soap, or the fragrantly revitalising Morula Body oils as staples in travel bags and on cosmetics shelves across the continent isn’t a horizon too far from reach. This however, doesn’t mean Moreki envisions the road ahead to be easy.
Commenting on what informs their growth model, considering that all of their products are manufactured in Botswana – with a substantial reliance on locally sourced raw materials – Moreki’s words are measured. “From a quality control perspective, It wouldn’t matter where we manufactured from as this would be a top priority, specifically since our products are tested against many multiple international standards,” she says, articulating that their growth model is formulated in the observation that “Botswana’s economic outlay shows that that development and money circulate thoroughly in Gaborone then goes down to mining towns – especially for our kind of industry.”
As such it was a strategic move to relocate to Gaborone after operating in Maun as it would be where the heart of the buzzing Botswana to create a movement of organic skincare lay. The proximity to an international airport and borderposts to South Africa also made it easy to align their aspirations with their growth.
Their focus is simple on the surface, but the complexities of diversity among people mean that there can be no shortcut taken when seeking to solve skin concerns facing people with acne, dry skin, sensitive skin, ageing skin and normal skin. Mirroring steps to success and longevity, she states: “we actively listen to our customer feedback and take it as research. We then pair this with continuously learning about the ever-changing skincare trends and industry”.
Being young both in industry presence and actual age, it would be presumptuous to field all-knowing advice from this burgeoning powerhouse; however, she offered some interesting gems when prompted to reflect on her journey. To her younger self, she would say, “Didintle, the very thing that pains you and took your confidence will be the very reason why you show up every day. Fitting in is overrated!” On the business front, she charges with: “Take everything with a grain of salt. Run your due diligence. Do not override your instinct – it is always speaking. Listen to it”.
Business doesn’t necessarily have to be inherently cause-driven—a challenging reality to confront. Nevertheless, numerous successful businesses that transition from conceptualization to tangible products often share a fundamental principle: the aim to bring about positive change in people’s lives. Moreki has embraced the responsibility of not only restoring dignity to her fellow inhabitants of the planet but also shouldering the role of a guardian of the very source of our lives. The deep-seated commitment to indigenous knowledge, inherited from her grandmothers, now serves as the bedrock of inspiration for her determined business endeavours.
