A famous place for a porkalicious meal, known for its tasty eisbein referred to as pork dolo – meaning a pork knee, Kwa Coach is owned and run by Retshidisitswe Mfekere, affectionately known as “Coach”. Located in Soweto next to Maponya Mall, the eatery was established in 2017 after Coach was retrenched from his job. Coach thought of various ideas as a means for making a living, and with his grandmother’s words, “God gave you a kitchen to feed yourself”, Coach started selling pap and beef head meat. At the time, he cooked at home and would sell the food from the street corner just across his family house. The small business did well enough to sustain himself and his family, until 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. The business started experiencing supply challenges due to a shortage of beef heads, as facilities were not operating to their full capacity. He considered quitting, but his mother was his greatest support and encouraged him to persevere.
It was at this time that he opted for pig heads, and, before he knew it, he was famous for his special “pork dolo”. Today, the restaurant offers various pork meals, including ribs, pork sausages, and pork chops. Kwa Coach employs a total of 24 employees, dominated mainly by young and energetic persons.
With the efficient, easy-to-order system that does not allow customers to wait longer than five minutes from placing an order, the place is buzzing with customers who enjoy choosing a meal from a diverse menu.
Through SA Pork, the eatery was recently gifted 10 tablecloths, 10 aprons, and 10 hats. The aim of the gifts was to find a way to promote and encourage the consumption of healthy pork and to share valuable information regarding pork health benefits.
Today, Kwa Coach is self-sustainable small–medium enterprise that sells a total of 6 t of healthy pork per month, sourced from reputable suppliers. The business does not have any formal marketing strategy and is simply marketed through word of mouth.
