Lufuno Rasoesoe

What does your company do?

TOSH Detergents is a proudly South African, woman-led manufacturing company that produces high-quality, eco-conscious cleaning products for households and businesses. We specialize in affordable, effective detergents like Pine Gel, dishwashing liquid, all-purpose cleaners, and more. Made using indigenous raw materials inspired by traditional knowledge passed down through generations. But we’re more than just a detergent brand. TOSH is a social enterprise that creates meaningful jobs and economic opportunities in underserved communities. Our supply chain starts with women harvesters in rural Limpopo, continues through our inclusive manufacturing plant in Centurion (where we employ people with disabilities), and extends to township resellers and online shoppers nationwide. Our products are available in major retail outlets like Shoprite, Pick n Pay, and Takealot, and we also offer a bulk refill model that empowers micro-entrepreneurs to build their own businesses. At our core, TOSH exists to clean homes, grow people, and transform communities.

What is your biggest success?

Our biggest success has been growing TOSH Detergents from a home-based operation into a nationally recognized brand, now stocked in major retailers like Shoprite, Pick n Pay, Checkers, and Takealot. Reaching over a million-rand turnover through online sales—driven largely by our top-selling Pine Gel—was a major milestone. But beyond numbers, our real success lies in impact: empowering women in rural Limpopo to supply our raw materials, employing people with disabilities in our factory, and creating micro-business opportunities through our bulk refill model. We've proven that a purpose-driven, black woman-led business can compete with industry giants while staying true to its roots. What’s most fulfilling is witnessing the transformation in the lives of the people employed by TOSH—the confidence, stability, and pride that come from meaningful work. Seeing how this business brings dignity, purpose, and opportunity into their lives is the heart of what makes our journey truly successful.

What has been your biggest hurdle?

Our biggest hurdle has been access to working capital to scale the business. As demand for our products grew—especially with interest from major retailers—we often struggled to secure the upfront funding needed for raw materials, packaging, and logistics. Traditional funding avenues are not always accessible to small, black woman-owned businesses, and we've had to rely heavily on reinvesting sales revenue to grow. Another major challenge has been navigating distribution and visibility in a highly competitive market dominated by well-established brands. Getting shelf space is one thing, but ensuring product movement and standing out without massive marketing budgets is another. Despite these obstacles, we've pushed forward with creativity, resilience, and a deep commitment to our purpose, using every challenge as fuel to build something more impactful.