South Africa is a country that does not run short on its tasteful traditional dishes. While we’ve become accustomed to traditional foods such as bobotie chakalaka and pap biltong - other traditional foods like mopani worms are usually underrated. Moreover it is understood that there is a growing decline in traditional food practices due to the mainstream adoption of western eating practices. According to research over 5 million people in Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal alone eat insects as part of their diets. Mopani Queens is a company that was established in 2019 and pioneers ready-to-eat Mopane worm snacks. The snacks are said to “accommodate the modern palate without changing the taste or nutritional benefits of the ingredients which include protein saturated fats carbs and dietary fibre). The snacks much like crisps come in Peri-Peri BBQ Chutney and Salted Flavours. They also have flavoured Mopani Bites. It’s founder Phuti Kabasa joins Nhlanhla Sehume to walk us through the company’s journey.