Founder Phuti Mmamohale Kabasa and started Mopani Queens in 2017/2018. The company started to fully trade in 2019.  Mopani Queens is a registered and 100% black women owned, home based and an online entomophily company based in Pretoria West. 

The business started when I identified a gap in the accessibility of traditional edible insects to communities in urban areas. Initially the business was as an additional income source for my young family and grew into a business that finds its passion in providing environmentally friendly and alternative protein source in the form of flavoured (modernised) and ready to eat mopani worm’s snacks to families in urban areas of South Africa.                   

Although a considerable portion of South Africans are from traditional eating backgrounds that included the eating of insects, this practice is being replaced by modern western eating habits. A growing number of our people move to cities and are away from the rural areas where edible insects are found in abundance. Majority of black people, particularly children lose important indigenous food heritage knowledge due to abandonment of traditional food choices by their parents/guardians. Through our research, we found that even though over 5 million people in Limpopo and KZN alone eat insects as part of their diet (The numbers are even larger throughout RSA), there are no insects (Mopani worms) being trade in mainstream shops.  Mopani worms also presents an opportunity for a growing country such as RSA for convenient and alternative protein source (vs conventional livestock). Mopani worms are currently harvested from the wild no production costs and minimal collection costs. In controlled environments, production cost (vs conventional livestock) are lower in terms lower resource use, and environmental and economic sustainability. It takes 3kg mopane leaves to produce 1kg MW vs 40kg feed to yield 1kg beef.   South Africa is part of the global village and if we are to make headway in increasing food security by 2030, we need sustainable ways of feeding our people.                         

That’s why, our champion insect is the caterpillars of the Gonimbrasia belina, widely known as Mopani worms/ masonja/matomatina. We offer our customers the following: Alternative and nutritious insect protein snacks made from perfectly crisp, spiced and ready to eat Mopani worms. Nutritional benefits (Protein, Saturated fats, Carbs and Dietary Fibre). Ready to eat Mopani Bites snacks flavoured with locally sourced ingredients without changing the taste Peri-Peri, Barbecue, Chutney flavours. Traditional Salted for stewing/relish. Comes in different size packs, i.e. 80g – 2 servings; 175g – 4; 500g – 12 servings. We are an online shop & are not location constrained, we trade with customers on the following platforms:  WhatsApp: https://wa.me/message/UIGT36655IH2E1, Brownsense Africa: https://www.brownsense.africa/product/mopani-bites/, Hello Pretty: https://hellopretty.co.za/mopani-queens Ø we offer overnight delivery services to our customers in RSA. Our snacks are available throughout the year. Our Mopani worms are sustainably sourced from rural communities within the Southern African landscape.                               

We want to be known as, a company that provides edible insects in the mainstream market. Mopani Queens slogan is “Eat a bug today!” and captures our passion about the continued preservation of ‘Indigenous African insects as food’ knowledge for future generations.         

Our Vision Statement:                

Become the go-to choice edible insects’ brand for customers.           

Our Mission:    

To improve our customer protein choices by providing them with nutritious and delicious insects.