75 Graduates from Delicious Festival Trader Academy Powered by FoodBev SETA, Marking a Milestone in Culinary Empowerment
Johannesburg, 9 October 2025:. The Delicious Festival Trader Academy, founded in partnership with FoodBev SETA, offers enrollees skills in business development, safety and licensing, finance and marketing, as well as mentorship, networking opportunities, and access to markets.
Following the initial pilot project in 2023, 75 entrepreneurs from 2 full cohorts across 2024-2025 have been selected as graduates this year! After submitting proposals highlighting their branding, menus, and experience 11 of these graduates set up their food stalls at the DStv Delicious International Food and Music Festival Powered by LottoStar for the first time ever. “Having local brands is something that defines our Proudly South African Delicious Mile,” says Tom Pearson-Adams, CEO and Founder of the DStv International Delicious Food and Music Festival Powered by LottoStar, and CEO of the Delicious Festival Trader Academy Powered by FoodBev SETA. “Empowering smaller-scale food brands this year reminds us that the festival is about more than just great food and music — it’s about creating real opportunities and lasting impact.”
This is a proud moment for informal traders and the Delicious Festival Trader Academy Powered by FoodBev SETA, which aims to empower some of the 3.5-million SMMEs in South Africa, and particularly women under 35 with limited training and experience in the food, beverage and hospitality sectors. “We are delighted to celebrate these individuals who heroically balanced entrepreneurship as well as attending classes online and in person,” says Jean Huddy, Head of SMME Strategy and Support at the Academy. “We are excited to continue this mission having just onboarded a new 2025-2026 programme cohort with 75 SMMEs in Johannesburg and 25 SMMEs in Cape Town for the first time.”
Entrepreneurs are selected through an online application process and gain compliance knowledge and soft skills across modules such as entrepreneurship, design thinking, business communication, emotional intelligence, environmental awareness, sustainability, food handling, financial literacy, costing, and digital marketing. With a curriculum designed to foster ongoing personal and professional growth—and mentorship from industry leaders such as Thlompho Mokoena of Wing Republic in Braamfontein and Andrew Leeuw of Sumting Fresh — these entrepreneurs are equipped to help drive job creation in South Africa. “This support for youthful enterprise is aimed at strengthening our communities,” says FoodBev Manufacturing SETA CEO Nokuthula Selamolela. “By empowering citizens and incubating their commercial ideas, we hope to stimulate both local and international exposure and investment.”
The Delicious Festival Trader Academy Powered by FoodBev SETA is a testament to the impact of industry collaboration in driving inclusive growth. Behind these graduates are stories of vision, hard work and the resilience to transform their own lives and those of their communities. Delicious Festival Trader Academy, founding partner FoodBev SETA, City of Johannesburg Youth Directorate and Proudly South African are honoured to walk these journeys with them to create sustainable growth.
For more information on the FoodBev 11 Graduates click here
Instagram: Delicious Festival Trader Academy
Facebook: Delicious Festival Trader Academy
ENDS