Almost four years ago, one of the fastest growing groups on social media was birthed. The group happens to be Foodies Botswana, which today stands at just close to 296.4K. Comprising of a community of both professional and amateur Foodies, seeing the transformation of the group and how it just keeps growing is a breath of fresh air. At the height of the Lockdowns, when many people had very little form of entertainment, the group was their place of choice, as they got to see recipes shared and creative dishes shared by those who are passionate about food. Group Founder, Kenneth Tebogo Middleton aka the Okapi Guy, the name given by his followers, explains that when he opened the group four years ago, he was going through a phase, where he was paying more attention to what he was eating and also wanted to improve his cooking. This saw him creating new dishes, he also wanted to use the platform to get feedback and inspiration from others who are equally as passionate about food as he is.
Facebook groups are perfect for this, he says. The membership, he explains started with just friends and family but as time went on the numbers grew. “It seems many people have a shared interest in cooking and feedback is always encouraging,” he explains.
One of the most notable developments with the group, is that during the 2020 Lockdowns, the Foodies Botswana movement experienced a drastic increase in posts, and engagement which led to increased membership. Middleton also points out that to keep things interesting, they also started food challenges which were a fun way to compete through cooking from the comfort of one’s own homes. “Fast forward to today and the group is currently at 296.4K Members and this will definitely have changed by the time this goes to print.
The group, as big as it is, has the quality of engagement and sense of community that has caught the interest of people from the wider Southern African region as well,” he explains. He also notes that this development means that many Batswana are paying more attention to the food they eat. It also means that they are also increasingly looking to improve their cooking. “I like to think that we are starting a culinary revolution from which we all stand to benefit in so many ways." Other highlights that the group has seen include their various partnerships with different brands such as Blue Crystal, who get to sponsor their array of challenges, with the winners walking away with different prices. The challenges are fun, he says, and members always go all out to showcase their creativity, and how they can interpret a chosen theme.
Essentially, Middleton explains that Foodies Botswana is the ideal marketing platform for companies that sell food or drink-related products, to engage with their customers and potential end users in an authentic and meaningful way. Meanwhile, he recently shared that they were working on a very exciting event dubbed the Good Food event to be held on October 7th. Middleton explains that they have partnered with Molapo Crossing. The whole idea behind the event is to create a place where one can find some of the best food in the city.
Most importantly, a place where they can visit to experience many different foods from all over the world. The idea, he says is also to support individuals and small businesses making great food and drink products by creating a platform for them to engage with the Foodies Botswana members in the real world. “People are always saying that they wish they could actually get to taste the food they see in the group. Hence, we have partnered with Molapo Crossing to host a monthly food market,” he shares. Quizzed on how different it will be, he says that it will be different in the sense that they are aiming to attract talented people to exhibit during the market. The market will be curated to create a memorable food experience and will also be constantly changing, he adds.
Facebook groups are perfect for this, he says. The membership, he explains started with just friends and family but as time went on the numbers grew. “It seems many people have a shared interest in cooking and feedback is always encouraging,” he explains.
One of the most notable developments with the group, is that during the 2020 Lockdowns, the Foodies Botswana movement experienced a drastic increase in posts, and engagement which led to increased membership. Middleton also points out that to keep things interesting, they also started food challenges which were a fun way to compete through cooking from the comfort of one’s own homes. “Fast forward to today and the group is currently at 296.4K Members and this will definitely have changed by the time this goes to print.
The group, as big as it is, has the quality of engagement and sense of community that has caught the interest of people from the wider Southern African region as well,” he explains. He also notes that this development means that many Batswana are paying more attention to the food they eat. It also means that they are also increasingly looking to improve their cooking. “I like to think that we are starting a culinary revolution from which we all stand to benefit in so many ways." Other highlights that the group has seen include their various partnerships with different brands such as Blue Crystal, who get to sponsor their array of challenges, with the winners walking away with different prices. The challenges are fun, he says, and members always go all out to showcase their creativity, and how they can interpret a chosen theme.
Essentially, Middleton explains that Foodies Botswana is the ideal marketing platform for companies that sell food or drink-related products, to engage with their customers and potential end users in an authentic and meaningful way. Meanwhile, he recently shared that they were working on a very exciting event dubbed the Good Food event to be held on October 7th. Middleton explains that they have partnered with Molapo Crossing. The whole idea behind the event is to create a place where one can find some of the best food in the city.
Most importantly, a place where they can visit to experience many different foods from all over the world. The idea, he says is also to support individuals and small businesses making great food and drink products by creating a platform for them to engage with the Foodies Botswana members in the real world. “People are always saying that they wish they could actually get to taste the food they see in the group. Hence, we have partnered with Molapo Crossing to host a monthly food market,” he shares. Quizzed on how different it will be, he says that it will be different in the sense that they are aiming to attract talented people to exhibit during the market. The market will be curated to create a memorable food experience and will also be constantly changing, he adds.
