For Dineo Mahlatsi Mashia, a chicken is more than food - it is the foundation of an entire agricultural ecosystem. The 34-year-old entrepreneur has transformed a family poultry operation into a vertically integrated agribusiness that combines farming, processing, retail and technology to create value far beyond the farm gate.
As managing director and co-founder of Olgies Trading & Projects, Mashia oversees broiler production and distribution across Gauteng and Mpumalanga while finding inventive ways to bring affordable protein to underserved communities.
From a rural butchery in KwaMhlanga to mobile pop-up outlets and even an ice cream bicycle selling chicken products from as little as R5, accessibility is central to her business model.
Her innovation extends into the digital space through the Broiler Operations Management (Bom), or Chicken Accounting App, an AI-assisted platform that helps poultry farmers monitor costs, improve productivity and make informed business decisions.
Holding a BTech in cost and management accounting, Mashia believes rural communities should benefit from the full value of what they produce.
Inspired by her father's determination to build a poultry business from open grassland, she continues to create jobs, strengthen food security and prove that innovation is transforming modern agriculture.