Having started off as descendants of pastoral farmers in their infancy, Lydia Pansiri and Nkobi Pansiri are the masterminds behind the recently opened multi-purpose complex in the remote area of Xuxwakam. Their company, Xuxwakam Butchery and restaurant, prides itself in operating a multipurpose complex with three subsidies; a restaurant, butchery and a general dealer. According to duo, the expansion to retail rests on a bedrock of mastering the art of cattle rearing. “Cattle farming for us was just a hobby at first when we started working our formal jobs as a couple, we then decided to invest a bit more in 1993 relocating our farm to Nata farming region,” they explained. The Pansiris said despite working in well paying jobs, as educationalist they knew they needed to further their passion in cattle farming and decided to take it more seriously by acquiring a piece of land in Xuxwakam.
The farm would later grow by leaps and bounds to 300 cattle. “We raised revenue from cattle sales at BMC, having started with just a herd of 10 cattle we grew to over 300 following careful management of the farm. We then decided to start selling to BMC to raise revenue to further our plans to grow revenue streams beyond just farming,” the couple aadded. Following successful cattle sales at the BMC {Botswana Meat Commission} they decided to purchase a commercial plot in Nata, where they have built a complex with multiple vicinities to the merry of the Nata natives.
“Our ensured system of continuous investment has allowed us to reach this point. It is with the capital from cattle sales that we have built this complex that will provide a variety of services to the people of Nata,” the Pansiris said. The duo believes that their competitive advantage lies in the control they have over their supply chain where they will be sourcing the supply of meat, making their prices competitive. “So far the supply chain is within Xuxwakam and we get our beef supply from Xuxwakam farm,” the duo said. Last week Xuxwakam opened its doors to its first customers, boasting of a facility with all the bells and whistles to enhance the customer shopping experience
