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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-ZW link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=918 style='width:688.65pt;border-collapse:collapse'><tr><td width=912 valign=top style='width:684.25pt;border-top:none;border-left:solid white 1.0pt;border-bottom:none;border-right:solid white 1.0pt;background:#F2F2F2;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><a href="https://bullszimbabwe.com/"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=246 height=120 id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.png@01D6FBBE.85AC06D0" alt="cid:image001.png@01D6FBBE.85AC06D0"></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=6 style='width:4.4pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td width=912 valign=top style='width:684.25pt;border-top:none;border-left:solid white 1.0pt;border-bottom:none;border-right:solid white 1.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><a href="http://www.bullszimbabwe.com/">Bullszimbabwe.com </a> <a href="mailto:info@bulls.co.zw?subject=View%20and%20Comments">Views & Comments</a> <a href="http://www.bulls.co.zw/blog">Bullish Thoughts</a> <a href="http://www.twitter.com/BullsBears2010">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BullsBearsZimbabwe">Facebook</a> <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/bulls-n-bears-zimbabwe/57/577/72">LinkedIn</a> <a href="https://chat.whatsapp.com/CF6wllAfScU9Wr6dXxoQnO">WhatsApp</a> <a href="mailto:info@bulls.co.zw?subject=Unsubscribe">Unsubscribe</a><o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=6 style='width:4.4pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span style='color:#1F497D'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td width=912 valign=top style='width:684.25pt;border-top:none;border-left:solid white 1.0pt;border-bottom:none;border-right:solid white 1.0pt;background:#F2F2F2;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></td><td width=6 style='width:4.4pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td width=912 valign=top style='width:684.25pt;border-top:none;border-left:solid white 1.0pt;border-bottom:none;border-right:solid white 1.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span class=style30><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>Entrepreneurship Zone: 09 October 2025: The entrepreneur reshaping Congo’s place in the coffee market</span></b></span><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></td><td width=6 style='width:4.4pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td width=912 valign=top style='width:684.25pt;border-top:none;border-left:solid white 1.0pt;border-bottom:none;border-right:solid white 1.0pt;background:#F2F2F2;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span class=style30><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></span></p></td><td width=6 style='width:4.4pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'> </span><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr style='height:3.0pt'><td width=912 valign=top style='width:684.25pt;border-top:none;border-left:solid white 1.0pt;border-bottom:none;border-right:solid white 1.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;height:3.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Hyundaizimbabwe/"><span style='color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=804 height=268 id="_x0000_i1026" src="cid:image003.jpg@01DAACFB.B46CAA00"></span></a><span class=style30><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p></td><td width=6 style='width:4.4pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm;height:3.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'> </span><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr style='height:10.05pt'><td width=912 valign=top style='width:684.25pt;border-top:none;border-left:solid white 1.0pt;border-bottom:none;border-right:solid white 1.0pt;background:#F2F2F2;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;height:10.05pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></td><td width=6 style='width:4.4pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm;height:10.05pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr style='height:10.05pt'><td width=912 rowspan=3 valign=top style='width:684.25pt;border-top:none;border-left:solid white 1.0pt;border-bottom:none;border-right:solid white 1.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;height:10.05pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:6.0pt;margin-bottom:9.0pt;margin-left:36.0pt;background:white'><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#555555'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:6.0pt;margin-bottom:9.0pt;margin-left:36.0pt;background:white'><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#555555'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:6.0pt;margin-bottom:9.0pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white'><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#555555'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'><img border=0 width=801 height=534 id="Picture_x0020_3" src="cid:image004.jpg@01DC3900.3764AC00" alt="https://hwmiia.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/07135821/Tisya-Mukuna-800x533-1.jpg"></span><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Tisya Mukuna<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Interview with Tisya Mukuna<br>CO-FOUNDER, LA BOÎTE KINOISE<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Lives in: Democratic Republic of Congo<o:p></o:p></span></p><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;background:white'><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'><hr size=2 width="100%" align=center></span></div><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><em><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>Tisya Mukuna is the co-founder of La Boîte Kinoise, a coffee company in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). She is also among the top 10 finalists in the 2024 Africa’s Business Heroes competition. By overseeing the entire value chain – from farming and packaging to retail – her company is reshaping how Congolese coffee is grown, valued and consumed. In this interview, she discusses her business journey.</span></em><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><strong><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>You grew up in France before returning to Kinshasa in 2018. Your return sparked a bold idea: growing coffee in Kinshasa, a region dismissed as nonviable. What made you believe it was possible?</span></strong><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>Absolutely. Growing up in France, I was surrounded by stories of coffee; not just as a drink, but as a culture, a ritual, a symbol of sophistication and connection. Coffee was everywhere: in cafés where people debated politics over tiny espressos, in films, in books, and s that spoke of exotic origins and rich aromas.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;background:#F9F9F9'><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>But what struck me most was how coffee was always romanticised, always talked about with pride when it came from Brazil, <a href="https://www.howwemadeitinafrica.com/category/countries/ethiopia/" target="_blank"><span style='color:#DD3333'>Ethiopia</span></a>, Colombia, or even Vietnam. Yet never from Congo.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>France is one of the largest consumers of coffee in the world, but almost no one there knows that the DRC was once a major coffee producer. It was as if our story had been erased. Even as a young woman, that absence stayed with me. It felt personal.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>When I returned to Kinshasa in 2018, I saw what reality looked like: abandoned plantations, forgotten expertise, and a capital city where people believed coffee couldn’t grow.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>But I believed it was possible for one simple reason: no one had tried! Not seriously, not with intention, not with love for the land. I knew our soil, our climate, and our people had potential. What was missing wasn’t nature, it was belief. I took a risk. I started small. And against all odds, green coffee shoots began to rise where everyone said they wouldn’t.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>That moment changed everything for me. It proved that sometimes, the most powerful innovations come not from invention, but from reimagining what’s already ours. My return wasn’t just about planting coffee. It was about reclaiming our narrative, about showing that the impossible is often just the undiscovered.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><strong><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>You once said, “No one believed coffee could grow in Mont Ngafula.” How do you maintain resilience in the face of doubt?</span></strong><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>Yes, I did say that, because it was true. When I first shared my idea of growing coffee in Mont Ngafula (a commune in the Kinshasa city-province), people laughed. They said, “Coffee doesn’t grow in the capital,” or “It’s impossible, the altitude is too low.” Some were more subtle, questioning my experience, my youth, or even just the fact that I was a woman daring to do something no one else had tried.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>But doubt has never scared me. What scares me more is regret.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>As a young African woman founder, resilience isn’t just a choice, it’s a daily discipline. I’ve learned to listen carefully, but not always obey. I take doubt as data, not as a verdict. If someone says, “You can’t,” I ask, “Why?” and if the answer isn’t rooted in truth but in fear or bias, I keep moving.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>I also lean on something stronger than myself: purpose. I’m not doing this just for me. I’m doing it for a generation that deserves to know we can build from within. I’m doing it for the farmers who were forgotten. I’m doing it for the young girl in Kinshasa who thinks entrepreneurship is for someone else.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>Resilience, to me, means redefining success. Not just in terms of profit, but in terms of impact. It means knowing that even if I fail, I will have opened a path.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;background:#F9F9F9'><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><strong><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>La Kinoise is one of the few Congolese brands that controls its entire coffee value chain, from cultivation to packaging to direct retail. What are the advantages and risks of that model in your context?</span></strong><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>Controlling the entire value chain, from cultivation to packaging to retail, was a deliberate and strategic choice for La Kinoise. In the Congolese context, it’s both empowering and challenging.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>The biggest advantage is sovereignty. We’re not just growing coffee, we’re reclaiming our narrative. By owning every stage, we ensure that the value generated by Congolese coffee stays in Congo. We create local jobs at each step: farmers, factory workers, quality control, baristas, sales teams. That’s how we move from raw material exporter to value creator. It also allows us to guarantee quality, transparency, and traceability. Things that global consumers are increasingly demanding.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>It’s also about dignity. For too long, Congo has been known as a place where raw resources leave and come back transformed at ten times the price. With La Kinoise, we are changing that. When you drink our coffee, you’re not just tasting beans: you’re tasting Congolese craftsmanship, resilience, and pride.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>But yes, there are risks. Infrastructure is one of our biggest challenges. Managing production, logistics, and retail in a country with unreliable electricity, limited road networks, and weak institutional support requires constant adaptation. We’re also exposed to market fluctuations at every level, from farming conditions to consumer demand. And when you control everything, every crisis hits you harder.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>But I’d rather face those risks than depend on systems that exclude us. Vertical integration gives us leverage. It makes us stronger, more agile, and more accountable to our communities. It’s not the easy road but it’s the one that leads to transformation.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'><img border=0 width=800 height=444 id="Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:image006.jpg@01DC3900.3764AC00" alt="https://hwmiia.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/07145041/La-Boite-800x444-1.jpg"></span><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>La Boîte Kinoise team showcasing some of their coffee products.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white'><strong><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>You’ve launched innovative formats from mobile coffee carts to pods and single-serve packs. How do you innovate while keeping La Kinoise grounded in Congolese heritage?</span></strong><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>Innovation at La Kinoise always starts with one question: how do we make coffee more accessible?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>We’ve launched mobile coffee carts, pods, and single-serve packs to solve real problems. In Kinshasa, not everyone can afford a coffee machine or has the time to sit in a café. So we brought coffee to the streets, to offices, to people’s hands, in formats that fit their daily lives. That’s innovation rooted in empathy.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;background:#F9F9F9'><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>But we never innovate for the sake of it. Every format, every design, every word we choose is anchored in Congolese heritage. Our branding carries our identity: the name La Kinoise itself is a tribute to Kinshasa, to the fierce, joyful, resourceful women of this city. Our packaging uses colors and patterns inspired by local fabrics. Even our storytelling “from the farm to the cup” highlights real farmers, real communities, real land.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>For us, innovation is not about erasing the past. It’s about honouring it and making it speak to the present.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><strong><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>Starting an agri-processing business in the DRC comes with unique challenges, ranging from infrastructure gaps to regulatory and logistical hurdles. What specific barriers did you encounter while building La Kinoise?</span></strong><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>Starting La Kinoise came with real challenges.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>Infrastructure was the first: poor roads, unstable electricity, and limited water. We adapted by installing solar systems and managing our own logistics.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>Regulations were unclear. I had to go office by office to understand export processes. I overcame it by staying persistent, building relationships, and documenting everything.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>Perception was another barrier. Many didn’t believe in Congolese-made products. We changed that through quality, strong branding, and consistency.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>And as a young woman, I had to prove myself constantly. But every barrier became fuel because in Congo, when something works, it changes everything.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><strong><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>What barriers did you face during fundraising?</span></strong><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>Fundraising was one of the hardest parts.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>Locally, capital is limited. Few banks want to finance agriculture, especially in Kinshasa where coffee was seen as impossible. There’s little appetite for risk, especially for a woman-led startup in an unfamiliar sector.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>Internationally, investors were sceptical. They couldn’t believe coffee could grow in the capital, and many didn’t understand the DRC context. Agriculture here is often viewed as high-risk, low-return.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>To attract attention, I positioned La Kinoise not just as a coffee brand, but as a proof of concept for transformation: reviving abandoned land, creating jobs, and reshaping local consumption. I leaned into storytelling, showing the impact on real people.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>The breakthrough came when I started winning pitch competitions and gaining visibility on platforms that value innovation and social impact. That credibility opened doors.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><strong><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>What are your plans for exporting, introducing new product lines, and extending distribution in Kinshasa and beyond?</span></strong><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>Our vision now is to scale La Kinoise beyond Kinshasa while deepening our local presence.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;background:#F9F9F9'><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>For exports: We’re preparing to enter premium markets in Europe and Africa, starting with France and Belgium. Markets that appreciate specialty coffee and where the Congolese diaspora is strong. Our goal is to position La Kinoise as the Congolese coffee brand abroad, showcasing both quality and story.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>For new product lines: We’re expanding beyond roasted beans and ground coffee into ready-to-drink cold brews, specialty capsules compatible with common machines, and coffee-based delicacies like chocolate-coated beans. These formats respond to changing consumer habits and increase value addition locally.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>For distribution: In Kinshasa, we’re growing our network of mobile carts, supermarkets, and corporate partnerships, while setting up flagship La Kinoise coffee corners. Regionally, we’re building partnerships in key African cities to create a “Made in Congo” footprint.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>Our focus remains the same: quality, accessibility, and storytelling, whether it’s a cup served in Mont Ngafula or in a café in Paris.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><strong><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>As a young female entrepreneur disrupting a male‑dominated sector, what advice would you offer other African women with big dreams?</span></strong><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>My advice to other African women with big dreams is this: start where you are, with what you have and don’t wait for anyone to validate your ambition.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>In male-dominated sectors, you’ll face doubt, resistance, and sometimes even isolation. But don’t let that define you. Let it drive you. Use every “no” as fuel to keep going.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>Believe deeply in your vision, and back it up with action, consistency, and excellence. Build your skills, ask questions, stay curious. And never be afraid to take up space. Your voice matters, your ideas matter.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>Also, lean on sisterhood. Support other women. Celebrate their wins. We’re stronger when we rise together.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>Most of all! You belong here: in boardrooms, on farms, in factories, at the front of change. Dream bold. Start loud. And never shrink to fit.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>.-Howwemadeitinafrica<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></td><td width=6 style='width:4.4pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm;height:10.05pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr style='height:10.05pt'><td width=6 style='width:4.4pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm;height:10.05pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr style='height:10.05pt'><td width=6 style='width:4.4pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm;height:10.05pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr style='height:10.05pt'><td width=912 valign=top style='width:684.25pt;border-top:none;border-left:solid white 1.0pt;border-bottom:none;border-right:solid white 1.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;height:10.05pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span lang=X-NONE style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span lang=X-NONE style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'> </span><i><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'>Invest </span></i><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'>Cellphone: +263 71 944 1674 | +27 79 993 5557 <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'>Email: <a href="mailto:bulls@bullszimbabwe.com">bulls@bullszimbabwe.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'>Website: <a href="http://www.bullszimbabwe.com">www.bullszimbabwe.com</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'>Blog: <a href="http://www.bullszimbabwe.com/blog">www.bullszimbabwe.com/blog</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'>Twitter (X): @bullsbears2010<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'>LinkedIn: Bulls n Bears Zimbabwe<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'>Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/BullsBearsZimbabwe">www.facebook.com/BullsBearsZimbabwe</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'>Skype: Bulls.Bears </span><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'><img border=0 width=278 height=110 id="_x0000_i1028" src="cid:image005.png@01D6FBBE.85AC06D0" alt="cid:image005.png@01D6FBBE.85AC06D0"></span><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-left:36.0pt;line-height:115%;background:white'><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p></td><td width=6 style='width:4.4pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm;height:10.05pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td width=912 valign=top style='width:684.25pt;border-top:none;border-left:solid white 1.0pt;border-bottom:none;border-right:solid white 1.0pt;background:#1F497D;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><i><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p></td><td width=6 style='width:4.4pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td width=912 valign=top style='width:684.25pt;border-top:none;border-left:solid white 1.0pt;border-bottom:none;border-right:solid white 1.0pt;background:#1F497D;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><i><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:white'>DISCLAIMER: This report has been prepared by Bulls ‘n Bears, a division of Faith Capital (Pvt) Ltd for general information purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe for any securities. The information contained in this report has been compiled from sources believed to be reliable, but no representation or warranty is made or guarantee given as to its accuracy or completeness. All opinions expressed and recommendations made are subject to change without notice. Securities or financial instruments mentioned herein may not be suitable for all investors. Securities of emerging and mid-size growth companies typically involve a higher degree of risk and more volatility than the securities of more established companies. Neither Faith Capital nor any other member of Bulls ‘n Bears nor any other person, accepts any liability whatsoever for any loss howsoever arising from any use of this report or its contents or otherwise arising in connection therewith. Recipients of this report shall be solely responsible for making their own independent investigation into the business, financial condition and future prospects of any companies referred to in this report. Other Indices quoted herein are for guideline purposes only and sourced from third parties.</span></i><i><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></i></p></td><td width=6 style='width:4.4pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td width=912 valign=top style='width:684.25pt;border-top:none;border-left:solid white 1.0pt;border-bottom:none;border-right:solid white 1.0pt;background:#F2F2F2;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><i><span lang=EN-GB style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p></td><td width=6 style='width:4.4pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td width=912 valign=top style='width:684.25pt;border-top:none;border-left:solid white 1.0pt;border-bottom:none;border-right:solid white 1.0pt;background:#F2F2F2;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>(c) <span style='color:#1F497D'>2025</span> Web: <a href="http://www.bullszimbabwe.com">www.bullszimbabwe.com</a> Email: <a href="mailto:bulls@bullszimbabwe.com">bulls@bullszimbabwe.com</a> Tel: +27 79 993 5557 | +263 71 944 1674<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=6 style='width:4.4pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td width=912 valign=bottom style='width:684.25pt;border-top:none;border-left:solid white 1.0pt;border-bottom:none;border-right:solid white 1.0pt;background:#F2F2F2;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></td><td width=6 style='width:4.4pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></table></div><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>