YAYA’S CONFECTIONERY RISES IN ESWATINI’S ARTISANAL FOOD SCENE

Some businesses begin in boardrooms. Others start in something more sacred, a grandmother’s kitchen, warm with the scent of something sweet in the oven. For Yandile Nkonyane, founder of Yaya’s Confectionery Corner, that is where her story began, and where the blueprint for her thriving home-based bakery in Malkerns was quietly formed.

Today, Yaya’s Confectionery Corner is carving out its place in Eswatini’s artisanal food scene, known for yeast-raised doughnuts, handmade biscuits, and custom cakes crafted with care.

A Recipe Written in Childhood

Yandile’s journey started early. As a child, she baked alongside her grandmother for family celebrations, learning both skill and passion.

“I’ve actually been an entrepreneur since primary school,” she says. “I sold dinner rolls in my neighbourhood and fatcakes to classmates.”

The business took shape during her final year of college, when she turned to baking to manage stress after struggling to secure an internship. Encouraged by friends and family, she began selling online.

“The support was incredible. It pushed me to take professional baking classes and turn my passion into a business.”

Proudly Made in Eswatini

Yandile is intentional about keeping her products local.

“My products are ‘Made in Eswatini’ in every sense,” she explains. “From our fluffy doughnuts to handmade biscuits like Romany Creams, everything reflects local quality.”

Her work stands as a statement that world-class confectionery can be produced at home.

The Art Behind the Doughnut

Her signature doughnuts are made using the Tangzhong method, an Asian technique that creates a softer, longer-lasting product without preservatives.

“It improves taste and keeps the dough soft,” she says.

The process requires precision: careful mixing, proofing, shaping, and frying before each doughnut is finished by hand, glazed, filled, or topped with premium ingredients.

What’s Rising Next

Yandile plans to expand her dessert range, grow her presence at local markets, and introduce baking lessons.

“I want to create jobs and help others learn to bake, whether for their families or to start businesses,” she says.

From selling rolls as a child to building a recognised brand, Yandile Nkonyane proves that the sweetest success stories often begin at home.

Meet her at the Made in Eswatini Consumer Fair on May 1, 2026, along Dr. Sishayi Road in Mbabane, from 10 AM to 10 PM.