BY: SIKHONA SIBANDZE | JOURNALIST
Manzini - As Eswatini’s horticulture and green-living market matures, more emerging plant businesses are realising that visibility and foot traffic are only the starting point—long-term sustainability depends on production capacity, efficiency, and a model that can scale.
Plant Co founder Sifiso Daladi Dlamini has announced that the business will be relocating from Ezulwini as it transitions from a proof-of-concept retail operation into a production-led expansion focused on rapid plant propagation, multiplication, and eventual wholesale supply across Eswatini.
Plant Co has operated in Ezulwini as a hybrid destination, combining plant retail with a café offering and services aligned to landscaping and land rehabilitation. Daladi said the Ezulwini setup was never intended to be the final form of the business, but rather a first phase designed to validate demand, test operations, and refine what the market can sustainably support.
Proof of concept completed, scale now the priority
In his message to customers and supporters, Daladi explained that Plant Co was intentionally built in phases, with the first phase serving as a “proof of concept” to confirm that the idea works commercially and operationally. During that period, the company trialled multiple revenue streams, including the café, positioned as a complementary extension of the nursery experience.
Now, he said, the business is entering Phase Two: production at scale. The strategic direction is to build strong capacity for rapid production and multiplication, propagating plants in larger volumes, consistently, as the groundwork for moving into wholesale markets.
Why Plant Co is stepping back from supermarket seedling distribution
Daladi noted that supermarket distribution was part of the initial market play, but the cost structure, especially distribution expenses, has made that model less viable for where Plant Co wants to go next. As the business pivots toward production and wholesale readiness, it will no longer prioritise supermarket seedling retailing as a core growth channel.
Land requirement: a minimum of six hectares
A key driver of the relocation is the need for space and production infrastructure. Daladi said Plant Co is now looking at a minimum of six hectares to enable scaled propagation and multiplication, an expansion intended to unlock consistent volumes that are necessary for wholesale supply to landscapers, institutions, projects, and other high-demand buyers.
While full details of the new site and timelines were not disclosed, Daladi indicated the next location will be chosen to match the operational requirements of the company’s production phase.
Café and retail trading in Ezulwini ends this week
Daladi confirmed that this week will be Plant Co’s final week of café and retail trading in Ezulwini, emphasising that the change is a planned transition rather than a business collapse. He said the company is not “down,” but evolving, choosing to exit some experimental revenue streams in order to concentrate resources on the next growth engine. Plant Co’s social platforms will remain active, and the business says it will continue sharing updates as the relocation and expansion plans progress.
