Steve Giddings Email & Phone Number

Start up company formed to import and supply equipment to the catering industry in southern Africa.I have great partners and committed investors, and we are just getting going with this exciting next phase in my entrepreneurial journey.Having just sold my previous businesses, I had great plans for relaxing, traveling and consulting... well those plans lasted all of 5 months because purpose will always find you!

Consultant in SME private sector development. Experience in Africa, Asia, Caribbean and Middle East in formulation and implementation of SME support programmes and policy development; public private partnership development and management; agroprocessing development including direct support to enterprises to improve efficiency and market access.Consutancies provided to The World Bank; UNIDO, FAO; Dutch Good Growth Fund; Endeva and many others.

We started this company as Java Lava in 2007 and in 2012, 60% of the company was acquired by JSE listed Famous Brands (market capitalisation of US$1 billion with brands such as Wimpy, Mugg and Bean, Tashas, Vovo Telo, Steers etc) and renamed the Famous Brands Coffee Company. The company roasts and packs coffee and distributes it along with a range of powders (e.g. hot chocolate, smoothie powders). Coffee making equipment is supplied to restaurants, offices and hotels across Southern Africa with a service and repair department to support the equipment.In July 2024, Famous Brands acquired our remaining shares, leaving us to move forward with other ventures.Follow at https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-famous-brands-coffee-company/

Washington, Dc, Us

I have supported entrepreneur development and innovation through technical assistance to entrepreneurs and policy assistance to SME support institutions and governments. I have worked in Senegal, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Mauritius, Ethiopia, DRC, Mozambique, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia, Namibia, Lesotho, South Africa, Belize, Nepal, Egypt and Angola. Focus has been on developing food agribusiness SMEs and ICT focused enterprises. Last assignment was to help facilitate agroprocessing growth in pomegranite, molasses, onion and medicinal and aromatic plants in Egypt.

We started Frontier Coffee in 2003 and supplied hot beverage consumables, coffee machines and fully outsourced beverage services including staff, to companies throughout South Africa. In December 2020 the company was sold to the Dallmayr Group (Germany).

Pretoria, Gauteng, Za

Managed government and private sector relationships in order to effect the transfer of CSIR technology.

Facilitated the transfer of agricultural research to small holder farmers and assisted in small agribusiness enterprise development. Interacted with donors, international NGOs and provincial governments to develop agricultural projects.

Mba, Strategic Marketing

M.Sc, Zoology

B.Sc (Hons) Cum Laude

B.Sc, Zoology And Botany

Education record