Indigenous marshmallow experience

Bonnie Basima’s love for Marshmallows inspired her to open Botswana’s first ever Marshmallow confectionery.

Chubby Bunny Marshmallows is home to Botswana’s first ever indigenous Marshmallows having over 21 marshmallow flavours including Mmilo, Kgeru, Morula, Lerotse and Mmupudu.

27 year old Basima from Otse Village started her confectionery business in 2020 just before the Covid-19 lockdown. She experienced marshmallow making for the first time in 2012 during a visit to Cape Town and she was left fascinated!

After the experience, she set out to learn more about the process and began intentionally researching on how to make marshmallows in 2019. A year later, Chubby Bunny Marshmallows was born.

“Our small confectionery business sells handcrafted marshmallows and marshmallow by-products. Other than marshmallows, we make marshmallow biscuits, marshmallow fluff, marshmallow cakes, Easter eggs and on holidays we make holiday inspired marshmallows.”

“We also provide services such as customised marshmallow packaging for corporate events and occasions like weddings, parties and baby showers. We also have marshmallow bar events where unpackaged marshmallows are provided with various toppings and side snacks.”

Basima highlighted that it was not just her love for marshmallows that inspired her to start the business, but the gap that she saw in the market as well. “One thing that I observed was that all marshmallows in Botswana were imported from South Africa because no one was making them locally. Secondly, the confectionary market was saturated with cakes and cupcakes only, offering no variety.”

“After my research and noting down the factors above, I realised that there was a gap that needed someone to fill it and I decided I was the person for that.”

Basima says Chubby Bunny products are one of a kind that embody a distinguished level of creativity and innovation. “We have a unique product that is currently not available anywhere else in the country. We aim to make one of a kind marshmallows through our innovative flavour combinations”

She says that her products are also peculiar because the entire process of freshly making them, cutting them to packaging them is done skillfully and lovingly by hand.

The confectionery currently runs as an online store but occasionally has pop up stalls in Gaborone. The business targets safari hotels, gifting companies, amusement parks, children, women, Air Botswana and Event Organizers.

Basima’s dream for the next five years is to have a Marshmallow Cafe that sells gourmet marshmallows and related treats with a full array of coffee drinks.