Township bakery in South Africa makes bread more affordable

A bakery in South Africa, Borotho Bakery has slashed commercial bread prices in half in order to bring relief to residents in Soweto Township where incomes are low.

The bakery was started at a time when other bakers in the city hiked prices of wheat products to keep up with inflation costs, is bringing down the cost of living with its cheap bread.

Working tirelessly day and night, the owner Nicholas Refiloe and his team have gone from selling 40 loaves last year when the bakery opened to more than 600 loaves daily.

“Living in the community is so down, the unemployment the jobs are lacking, food security is a problem as well. I was thinking to innovate something that the whole community is going to churn something from while we do this business.
We say community businesses we put it that way because of the community because of the majority of people to afford and because of that the business is very classic,” he said.

Bread is one of the fastest moving products in the country consumed for breakfast and also used to make delicacies such as bunny chow a hollowed out loaf of bread stuffed with steaming curry.

The bakery was started at a time when other bakers in the city hiked prices of wheat products to keep up with inflation costs.

“It’s helpful because it’s cheaper and it’s fresh. That is why I am coming from far and going to buy from them,” said Tebogo Buthelezi, a customer.

A loaf of bread costs about 44 US cents, nearly half of the price of bread in the market.

Deliveries in the neighborhood are done by bicycle or on a shopping cart.

“This bread is nice, it makes good kotas (sandwiches) and people love them… The price is right, it’s very good and we can actually afford it,” said Manyane Sebapale a shopkeeper.

A loaf of bread costs about 44 US cents, nearly half of the price of bread in the market.

Deliveries in the neighborhood are done by bicycle or on a shopping cart.

The baker is also working on plans to open an outlet in a more central location in order to reach more customers and expand to other low-income areas of the city.