SHEBA BAFO brings convenience in innovative pouch meal

A new South African food innovation is aiming to change how consumers think about convenience meals. Sheba Bafo, a start-up founded by Cape Town-based food development technologist Mpumelelo Gcabo, is developing a ready-to-eat beef sausage relish designed for busy households that still value quality and flavour.

Gcabo, in an interview with Vuk’uzenzele, describes the product as a modern take on a familiar comfort meal. “Our product is basically a beef sausage that sits on a tomato and onion relish,” he explained. “It is packed in a flexible pouch, and it is meant to last you as long as any canned food.”

Unlike traditional canned products, Sheba Bafo is sealed in a flexible pouch designed to preserve taste and extend shelf-life. “With our product, we are targeting a 24-month shelf life because of the type of packaging we are using – flexible versus tin,” said Gcabo. 

The product is designed to be reheated and served with staple foods. 

The journey from idea to product has involved rigorous testing and collaboration with research institutions. 

Research and development of the product began in 2024, and Gcabo is currently working closely with the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) to ensure the product meets strict safety standards. 

“I am currently working with CPUT, who are doing all of my food safety product validation tests for me, which include shelf-life analysis and sensory analysis. They are validating this because I still need to prove that this is a safe product.”

Once testing confirms the product’s shelf-life target, Gcabo plans to take the next steps towards commercialisation. 

“Once it hits that 24 months, then I will be able to take it to the next step, talk to the right people and make sure that we tell people about it and make sure that we hit retail,” he explains.

TIA project support 

Government support has played a crucial role in advancing the project.

Gcabo credits the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) for providing the seed funding that enabled the initial development phase.

 “My initiation was with the TIA, which gave me my seed in terms of funding… That made me able to put together everything that I needed to research and develop.. to industrial testing, to scaling. I am very grateful to them for that, and now we are here”.

Looking ahead, Gcabo’s vision is to scale production and bring Sheba Bafo to the national market. However, he acknowledges the financial demands associated with manufacturing ready-to-eat foods. 

To overcome this challenge, alternative production models such as co-packing are being explored, he concluded.” 

For more information, call Gcabo on 0658359887. 

The TIA can be reached at www.tia.org.za.