NAIROBI (Wednesday 28 May 2025): Eswatini entrepreneur, Claudia Castellanos, founder and CEO Black Mamba foods has won the KPMG Female Founders in Africa competition.
Claudia who was representing Southern Africa was crowned winner of the mature stage ventures at a glowing ceremony in Nairobi, Kenya yesterday.
I’m beyond thrilled to have won the Female Founders in Africa competition, proudly representing Black Mamba Foods!
Black Mamba is famous for their chilli sauces that have placed the Kingdom on the global stage from Africa through Europe to America.
“A massive thank you to KPMG Africa for this incredible opportunity and platform — it’s been an honour to share our story and our growth plans,” Claudia said after the award.
The winning presentation included championing the transformation of food ecosystems through our definition of GOOD food — ethical, sustainable, clean, and delicious;
Driving real environmental and social impact for Africa, and,
Building a bold global brand rooted in spice, purpose and passion.
“This win is not just for me — it’s for our amazing team, our partners, our community in Eswatini, and everyone who believes in the power of business to drive change,” said Claudia who started her businesses as a cottage industry from her house in Mantenga, Ezulwini before moving to her factory at Matsapha.
The 2025 Female Founders Dealroom brought together 2025 Female Founders Competition semi finalists from East, West and Southern Africa. The hashtag#Dealroom celebrates women entrepreneurs who are driving change in Africa’s business landscape.
The Nairobi session was designed to give the 2025 Female Founders Deal Room semi-finalists a unique opportunity to learn from and connect with accomplished business mentors in an informal, engaging setting.
The hashtag#2025FemaleFoundersDealRoom is part of the 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗞𝗣𝗠𝗚 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝗩𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁-series of events focused on empowering entrepreneurs and driving innovation across the continent.
Jm/today/28.05.2025