Turning muffins into a movement

Living with dyslexia and Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) did not discourage Morero Nhlanhla Moloi to build a thriving business that not only focuses on profit but also gives ordinary South Africans a chance to become entrepreneurs. 

ADHD makes it harder for someone to pay attention, or focus on one thing at a time while dyslexia makes reading and writing difficult.

With a strong passion to succeed in business, Moloi founded McMore International, a food manufacturing company known for its premium muffins and biscuits, based in Stormill, Roodepoort. 

What began as a modest operation in a backroom in his great-grandmother’s house in Orlando West, Soweto, has grown into a business with national reach. 

“We started in 2020 in a backroom in Soweto. Six months later, we grew into a factory,” Moloi recalls. 

McMore International began with only three employees. Today, the company employs 24 people and supports 23 active franchisees across South Africa, including in Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal. A major expansion project in the Western Cape aims to onboard 200 more franchisees. 

In 2021, Moloi secured support from the Small Enterprise Finance Agency’s (SEFA) Youth Challenge Fund (YCF), a 50% grant and 50% loan initiative introduced by President Cyril Ramaphosa to help youth-owned businesses recover from the economic impact of COVID-19. 

The funding helped McMore International expand its operations, including acquiring a generator to boost productivity. The company now produces eight popular muffin flavours‒such as Chocochino, Blueberry Bliss, and Strawberry Rose‒baked fresh daily in high-quality ovens to ensure consistent quality and taste. 

While Moloi admits the journey has not been easy, his vision was always clear: to build a franchising model that is accessible to previously disadvantaged communities. 

“We were really just trying to get people a small business to own, where we bake and pack for them. They basically do all the distribution on their side‒just as a way to try and formalise the street vendor business model,” he explains. 

He describes McMore International as a “social impact business,” one that works with non-governmental and non-profit organisations to offer sustainable economic opportunities to unemployed or low-skilled individuals. 

“We also don’t discriminate. We look at people with zero business experience or background. We look at people who have low literacy or numeracy skills, and we’ve created a model that is easy for them.” 

A complete package 

Franchisees receive a complete package, including stock, business cards, branded packaging, flyers and even Speedpoint devices. 

Initially self-funded, McMore International used revenue from franchise sales and reinvested profits to grow. 

“Two years later, we reached out to the likes of SEFA, who were able to come in and assist,” he said. 

During the pandemic, Moloi adjusted his model to offer franchises for as little as R5 000 to accommodate the many South Africans who had lost their income. 

“The idea was that the franchises cost R50 000 in concept stage, but then when we started the business in COVID, a franchise was costing R5 000,” he recalls. 

“Now we’ve grown it slightly to around R15 000, but it’s giving them more tools and more stock.” 

With profits averaging over 30% per product, Moloi’s model ensures that franchisees can become self-sustainable quickly. He credits his sister and business partner‒a trained chef‒for helping turn the bakery vision into a reality. 

“I don’t really have much of an educational background,” said Moloi. “I’m a serial entrepreneur. I’ve always focused on starting businesses.” 

His focus now is on expanding McMore International's reach and continuing to empower those often excluded from the formal economy. “It’s definitely growing. We’re always going back and looking at the model to make it more cost-effective and impactful.”

SEFA is now part of the Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency (Sedfa). Sedfa was formed through the merger of SEFA, the Small Enterprise Development Agency, and the Co-operative Banks Development Agency.

For more information on McMore International, call 010 023 1881 or WhatsApp 066 213 1526. For franchise enquiries, you can also email franchise@mcmoreint.com or visit www.mcmoreint.com 

SEDFA can be contacted via phone at 0860 103 703 or by email at info@sedfa.org.za