Eben de Jongh

I am Eben de Jongh, the founder and managing director of Sonke Retail (Pty) Ltd and Sonke Sales Solutions (Pty) Ltd. I am a proud South African and live in sunny Durban on the east coast. I hold a Bachelor of Industrial Engineering from the University of Pretoria and an MBA from IE Business School in Madrid. Professionally, I have over a decade of experience across multinational corporations and startups, focusing on the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry in Sub-Saharan Africa. I am passionate about having a positive impact in the communities where we operate. I believe that if business puts the needs of the community first and operate in an environmentally sustainable way, profits will follow. We believe in doing good, while doing well financially. Both of my businesses are purpose driven - I think this has been key to our success.

How did IE help you get to where you are today?

My time at IE Business School was instrumental in shaping my approach to business and sustainability. The MBA program at IE provided me with a robust foundation in business management, strategic thinking, and innovation, all of which are critical to my role at Sonke. IE Business School caught my attention with its strong focus on entrepreneurship, which perfectly aligned with my goals. During my MBA, I adopted the lean startup model for both of my businesses at Sonke, which has been incredibly effective. Plus, the friendships I made there have been invaluable. My classmates are not just smart; they're also like-minded folks who've been great for bouncing ideas around. Their diverse skills and insights have been a huge help in refining our strategies at Sonke.

How did you come up with the idea for your company?

In my last corporate role at one of the biggest FMCG multinationals, I realized that the business predominantly sold the smallest pack size products to the poorest shoppers. These small pack sizes are super inefficient and lead to around 50% cost increase compared to the bulk pack sizes and also generate significantly more waste. For example, the 375ml bottle of cooking oil is up to 60% more expensive per ml compared to the bulk 5L pack size. I don't think its right that the poorest among us should pay a premium for their consumer goods. So, I created automated refill stations enable shoppers to bring their own packaging for refill instead of buying pre-packaged goods. We save shoppers money and eliminate plastic waste.

What is the key to the success of your company?

We fight for our customers - we ensure they get the BEST deal.