Tastes Good | Looks Good | Does Good

Tastes Good | Looks Good | Does Good

If there is one universal truth we can all agree on, it's the fact that doing good feels good. Deep down, each one of us is deeply connected to this planet, our environment, and our community. People who cultivate these connections thrive; people who don't feel lost and disconnected. This is what lies at the heart of so many of society's problems. 

At Black Mamba, we take great pride in having established a business that puts out a range of products that taste good, look good, and do good. These three pillars allow us to stay connected with our core beliefs, and do as much good as possible in the world. 

Here's why this is good news for you as well!

TASTES GOOD

We still like our ingredients like we like our people - non-toxic!

When we started Black Mamba, we knew we wanted our products to taste good, but we also wanted them to do good - both for the planet and our community. This is why we partner with the Guba Permaculture Training Centre to get our chillies and herbs from 50+ Swazi smallholder farmers who grow fresh produce by means of regenerative farming methods. 

The great thing about this set-up is that we get only the freshest, most amazing produce to use in our products. With these ingredients in the mix, it’s very easy to create incredible chilli sauces, chutneys, jams, and pesto that combines the magic of the African continent with the Colombian heat and flair our co-founder Claudia brings to the table. 

Additionally, every single product we create at our Black Mamba Heatquarters in Eswatini in sunny South Africa is 100% vegan and cruelty-free. And they don't have any added nonsense!

See, because our Black Mamba products and processes do not contain any animal-derived ingredients, as well as no artificial preservatives, flavourants or colourants, it allows us to tread very gently on the earth. This is one of the many wonderful fringe benefits of working with small-scale organic fruit and vegetable farmers and being a part of a forward-thinking circular economy. 

LOOKS GOOD

Then, of course, we also want our products to look good, whilst doing good. This required some thinking outside of the (literal) box.  So, after doing a LOT of research and testing a LOT of packaging, we have finally found a series of eco-packaging solutions that work. 

This is why you receive your Black Mamba order wrapped in dimple paper (a paper-based, eco-friendly alternative to bubble wrap developed right here in South Africa), packaged in cardboard boxes that are sealed with paper tape and accompanied by notes on seeded paper that you can plant to grow your own herbs at home!

We are constantly looking for ways to become more sustainable - and in our relentless quest we’ve also decided to replace the single use hairnets (that are a must when you’re serious about this food making business) with reusable hats!

The looks good comes as well together with a proudly African, funky brand that turns faces not only in Southern Africa, but also in the US, UK, Germany, Norway, and even as far as Taiwan! 

DOES GOOD

We are very proud to be a fair trade enterprise that treads lightly on the earth, provides safe and sustainable employment to talented women from vulnerable communities, and contributes to an earth-first organic supply chain that upskills and empowers small Eswatini farmers.

As such, every time you purchase a Black Mamba product, you are supporting our efforts to improve the livelihood of our employees and the farmers we work with, as well as our quest for a greener planet. It is amazing how far a fair trade purchase can go to promote values like fairness, accountability, transparency, and environmental sustainability. 

Another one of our core ethical pillars is the belief that we need to be as mindful and respectful as we can with our planet, and this is yet another reason why we love working with Guba. They share their knowledge of permaculture and regenerative agriculture with all the smallholders that grow our chillies and herbs. This partnership allows us to get organically grown ingredients that are good for our customers, but also good for the Earth. 

Black Mamba also supports very important charitable initiatives in our home country of Eswatini. 

Having taken our name from the most dangerous snake in Africa, which is endemic to Eswatini (for better or for worse!), we believe it is also our duty to generate awareness about the need to protect snakes, and the incredible work of the Eswatini Antivenom Foundation.

Thousands of people in Africa die or are permanently maimed every year because of snake bites. In Eswatini, the most impoverished rural populations are the ones that are affected the most. The Eswatini Antivenom Foundation does a wonderful job providing free antivenom and payment for medical expenses for those in need, preventing unnecessary losses of lives and limbs.

They also create awareness about snakes, explaining how to react during snake encounters, how to provide first aid for snake bites, and also why these misunderstood and often feared reptiles need to be respected and cared for and are vital to our ecosystems.

Additionally, we also support the Black Mambas Anti-Poaching Unit. 

This incredible initiative puts boots on the ground to safeguard rhinos in the Olifants West Nature Reserve in the Greater Kruger and further afield. Their 36+ rangers and environmental monitors also stand as role models in their respective communities.

Aside from conservation, their aim is to address the moral decay that rhino poaching has affected in their regions and promote the environmental and socio-economic benefits of rhino conservation over poaching.

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The beauty of this ongoing process is that we are never quite finished. We will always be researching, looking for, and dreaming about ways to do better. So if you have any hot ideas about how we can improve our impact on the planet, our community and the world at large, let us know! We’d love to get your insights. 

In the meantime, we hope you enjoy our products and share it with all the people you hold dear. It’s made with a whole lot of love, and also meant to be enjoyed that way. Go well, and do well!