From quantity surveyor to tea mogul: SA woman wins prestigious Veuve Clicquot award
Retang Phaahla traded her promising quantity surveyor career for her mother’s kitchen – and it led to international recognition.
The 32-year-old co-founded Setšong Tea Crafters with her mother Nondumiso Phaahla, creating a business that preserves Bapedi traditional knowledge while also employing 30 people in rural Sekhukhune.
Her innovative approach to brewing indigenous tea commercially has earned her the prestigious 2025 Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award, proving that traditional knowledge systems can thrive in modern markets.
(TS/TS)
