There’s something serendipitous about walking into your life’s purpose when you least expect it, and for 28-year-old Snenhlanhla Mbambo, taking up space in the food industry was not always the plan. As the founder of a food blog turned meal preparation business, Something Nutritious, she has created a special lane for herself as a young female entrepreneur. 

Born and raised in Hillcrest, Durban, with roots in the rural area of KwaNyuswa in KwaZulu-Natal, she was surrounded by a family of great cooks, although she never quite leaned into the activity herself. However, a lifestyle change was the nudge she needed to discover an entirely new talent. 

After moving out of her home for the first time to attend university, she made the conscious decision to alter her diet. “Growing up, my mom never really taught us good eating patterns,” she recalls. 

“So when I was living by myself, I decided I wanted to develop my own eating habits.”

Little did she know that this new commitment would be the beginning of a successful food blog that she was encouraged by her housemates to start in 2020. The self-proclaimed ‘struggling conscious eater’ has created a community of like-minded people who benefit greatly from her simplified approach to consistent healthy eating. 

To Snenhlanhla, eating healthier does not just include quinoa and couscous. Therefore, she aims to spread awareness about indigenous grains such as sorghum and millet, stating that she believes the conversation surrounding these unsung superfoods is not enough.

 “I built this platform for someone who also wants to change their eating habits, but they don’t know how to navigate it since it’s so hard because the internet has so much information. The foundation that Something Nutritious is built on is to change the perception of healthy eating.”

Her Instagram page now boasts thousands of followers that have become a supportive and highly engaging audience that she shares images of her vibrant and tantalising meals with regularly. Despite growing a presence on social media, she admits that it has not been a simple task. Of course, she’s felt the natural urge to desire rapid growth on the platform, but the recognition she’s received from not only her audience but from brands as well gives her a sense of validation. 

“I remember when I got my first campaign,” she reminisces. “It made me feel like I’m being seen by the right people and I’m doing the right things. The platform was growing, but not at the rate that I thought it would. Looking back at it now, I’m so thankful because it’s built an audience that is full of people who are just so helpful in everything that I do.”

After four years since its inception, Something Nutritious has recently undergone a transformation into a fully fledged business. While she’s always known her platform was destined to be bigger, she was not initially certain of how she’d execute the pivot. 

“The business has just come about as more of something I’ve spoken about, but now I’m actually finding the steps of how I am going to go about it.”

She has now launched Something Nutritious, the meal prep brand, a transition that her audience has welcomed excitedly. Moving into meal prep was a no-brainer, especially since she wholeheartedly believes in helping people more regularly as opposed to offering once-off meals. 

“For me, meal prep felt like it was the right step,” she explains. “I can take on your meals for a couple of days and basically show you that these are the things that you need to eat every day.”

The Bachelor of Science graduate has further endeavoured to study a BSc in Consumer Science majoring in Food and Nutrition, as she stresses the importance of gaining her clients’ trust by having the qualification to back her knowledge and teach her more about the industry. 

Something Nutritious is well on its way to becoming a notable name in the food industry as demand stretches beyond KZN’s borders. Snenhlanhla has huge plans for the business, adding catering services for wellness and pop-up events. The future looks immensely bright as she plans for Something Nutritious to be everywhere, including canteens, corporate spaces, and most impressively, turning the brand into an outlet. 

“Down the line, I want people to be able to purchase it on a daily basis. That’s a very big goal for me.” 

Snenhlanhla’s story is a testament that one’s true calling can come to fruition at any moment. Her vision and tenacity set her apart in an industry where preconceived notions often override facts. There’s so much she has yet to achieve, and with a foundation this strong, she is certainly destined for greatness and success.