An Interview with founder Bengala Ngobene

AW: Describe what initially launched Chakalaka?  What series of events or culinary experiences brought you here?

BN: When I first moved to the United States, the food was a shock to my palate. Coming from Southern Africa, where flavors are bold, layered, and deeply rooted in tradition, I found the food here to be quite bland. Adjusting to the taste, texture, and overall culinary culture was one of the hardest parts of settling in.

To feel at home, I turned to my roots. I began cooking with the spices and techniques I grew up with. While America is rich in culinary diversity—Asian, Caribbean, Indian, and more—I wasn’t exposed to all of it right away. Our journey began in Naples, Florida, but soon after, we relocated to Louisiana for my wife’s job. That move changed everything.

Louisiana cuisine, especially Cajun food, offered a completely different experience. It was rich in flavor, heat, and heritage. I embraced it instantly. That’s when the seed for Chakalaka was planted. I wanted to create a condiment line that could elevate any meal whether it was masterfully cooked or just needed a little help.

I started with a childhood favorite: a fermented cabbage relish my sister used to make. My first few attempts were rough. I couldn’t get the recipe to stabilize or bottle properly. So, I dove into research, experimented, and refined until I had a shelf-stable, all-natural version. I tested it on friends and family at weekend BBQs, tweaking it until it was just right.

Still, it remained a side project until we returned to Florida. The food scene here was different again, and I felt the same disconnect I did when I first arrived in the U.S. That reignited my commitment to bring bold, familiar flavor to the table.

I began building the Chakalaka brand from the ground up. The logo, featuring a clipart image of my daughter’s face, brought heart and identity to the bottle. I wanted it to feel authentic, natural, and proudly rooted in culture. Once the Spicy Relish was finalized, I expanded the lineup with hot sauces and vinaigrettes, all handcrafted, all unique, all clean label.

To bring Chakalaka to life, I started showing up at local farmers’ markets and community events. The feedback I received was invaluable. It helped shape the brand, refine the recipes, and grow the vision.

AW: What brought you to Mozambique?  And how did you discover peri-peri?   What does it taste like?

BN: My culinary journey begins with my heritage. My father is Mozambican, and throughout my childhood, I lived in several Southern African countries. Each place left its own mark, but it was Mozambique that truly reshaped how I understood food.

Living there, I had to learn Portuguese, and along with the language came an introduction to Portuguese-influenced cuisine. It was bold, vibrant, and unforgettable—built around lemon, garlic, spices, and the unmistakable heat of peri-peri. Peri-peri, a native African chili pepper, is at the heart of Mozambican cooking. Locals made a special fermented peri-peri sauce by letting the blend of lemons, garlic, vinegar, and chili sit in the sun for days. It was sharp, spicy, and addictively flavorful. I fell in love with it.

Mozambique is also where I met my wife, Camila, who was serving in the Peace Corps. Together, we later moved to South Africa, where I was reintroduced to another favorite: Chakalaka, a spicy bean relish that’s a staple in many homes and a traditional companion to grilled meats and stews. I always enjoyed it but imagined a version with more intensity and heat.

As I began creating products here in the U.S., it was only natural that I merged these two powerful flavor influences—the fermented peri-peri from Mozambique and the comforting Chakalaka from South Africa. But the story wouldn’t be complete without my mother. She cooked with the soul of the Mediterranean, using fresh herbs, olive oil, citrus, and just the right amount of heat. Her approach to food was passionate and generous, and it deeply shaped the way I think about ingredients and flavor balance.

AW: How did this hot sauce that you developed for yourself and your own family move to the next level?  When did you really start focusing on the Chakalaka business? 

BN: When I returned to Florida, I stepped back into the marketing world as a Marketing Manager for Ideal Nutrition. That role eventually led me to a position as a Digital Marketing Specialist at a luxury branding agency in West Palm Beach. It was there that I sharpened my skills in branding, storytelling, and high-end consumer engagement tools that would later prove invaluable.

During that time, Chakalaka was quietly coming to life. After hours and on weekends, I poured my energy into the brand, developing recipes, designing packaging, and hitting local farmers’ markets and community events to share my products. The response was overwhelming. What began as a side project quickly gained momentum, and the demand started growing faster than I had anticipated.

By May 2024, I made one of the boldest decisions of my life: I left my full-time job to pursue Chakalaka full-time. It was a leap of faith. Letting go of a steady income to chase a vision that was still taking shape was incredibly difficult, but I was committed to building something meaningful.

I hit the road, sometimes driving hours to reach customers from Homestead and Miami-Dade to Vero Beach and Tampa Bay. In that first year alone, we grew from just 65 customers to more than 1,200. Every interaction, every market visit, and every bottle sold was a step forward.

Today, Chakalaka continues to grow, and I remain as passionate as ever. To support the journey and keep the business moving, I’ve returned to marketing on a contract basis, balancing both worlds with the same determination that started it all.

AW: Where are you from?  Tell us about your journey as a chef.

BN: I was nine years old when my mother first pulled me into the kitchen. She’d sit me down every evening and make me watch as she cooked dinner—cutting vegetables, peeling garlic, stirring pots. I hated it at the time. I couldn’t understand why I had to be there, doing tasks I had no interest in. But she was teaching me something foundational, something I wouldn’t truly appreciate until years later.

After college, when I returned to Mozambique, I found myself unexpectedly drawn back to the kitchen. Cooking became something I genuinely loved. My sisters, incredibly gifted in their own right, had hands that turned ingredients into magic, and I learned from them quickly. I especially enjoyed grilling and smoking meats: sausages, chicken, fish, anything that touched flame and smoke.

Then I moved to the United States, and that’s where my culinary instincts truly came alive. I avoided restaurants, they just didn’t satisfy. And my wife? She never had to step into the kitchen. I had it covered.

I started experimenting by mixing spices, testing ingredients, and pushing boundaries. Cooking became creative therapy. It was during this time that Chakalaka was born: a passion project fueled by the desire to share bold, unforgettable flavors with the people around me.

One dish in particular became a signature, my Chakalaka Chicken Wings. They’re anything but ordinary. I marinate them for 12 hours in our Chakalaka Fermented Garlic Vinaigrette, then grill them slowly over charcoal. The result? Wings so rich in flavor and depth that, as many friends have said, “you’ll eat the bone.”

AW: How does your knowledge of marketing come into play?  Your website shopchakalaka.com as well as your photography and advertising look very professional.

BN: I’ve been in marketing for 18 years, starting in my early twenties. From the beginning, it just made sense to me. I’ve always been a creative thinker, and marketing became the outlet where creativity met purpose. I started with graphic design, learning how to visually communicate emotion, value, and identity and from there, I naturally transitioned into broader brand development and strategy.

What fascinated me most was the ability to position a person or a brand in front of the right audience, an audience that not only responds but becomes loyal. That connection, when done right, is powerful.

My time working at a Luxury Agency in West Palm Beach played a big role in refining my approach. There, I learned the craft of luxury branding, how to make a product feel not just premium, but essential. I came to value clean, intentional marketing, where every visual, word, and tone has a purpose.

When it came time to build Chakalaka, I approached it the same way. I began with a personal, meaningful logo (my daughter’s face) and chose bold, confident colors: black and red. The goal was authenticity and strength.

From there, the strategy was simple: tell the story. Show people what’s in the bottle, how it’s made, and why it matters. And most importantly, let them taste it.

That approach worked. I brought Chakalaka to farmers’ markets, local events, and gym pop-ups, anywhere I could connect directly with people. That grassroots effort built our foundation. Once we had around 1,000 loyal customers, I launched our digital marketing efforts, focused on both reaching new audiences and nurturing the ones who were already part of our journey.

It’s that balance of storytelling, connection, and consistency that continues to drive Chakalaka’s growth today.

AW: How long does a bottle of Chakalaka usually last, since there are no preservatives? Do you refrigerate it right away after opening?

BN: Our products are built to last naturally. An unopened bottle of Chakalaka can hold for up to a year on the shelf, and once opened and refrigerated, it remains fresh for up to six months. That’s possible because we’ve achieved a pH level as low as 2.9 in some of our sauces, well below the industry target of 3.5. Hitting that level without artificial preservatives is no easy feat, and it’s one of the ways we truly stand apart.

Formulating clean-label products with this kind of shelf stability is rare. But that’s exactly what sets us apart. Our customers recognize the difference, and they know they’re getting something real, something thoughtfully made. While our price point is slightly higher than average, it reflects our commitment to quality, health, and flavor. You won’t find high sodium levels, preservatives, or artificial additives here but just clean heat, bold taste, and ingredients you can trust.

One of our flagship ingredients is fermented garlic, which gives our vinaigrettes and sauces a distinctive depth. Blended with freshly squeezed lemon and raw apple cider vinegar, our Chakalaka Fermented Garlic Vinaigrette doesn’t just taste good, it offers wellness benefits too. While we’re not in the business of making medical claims, many of our customers swear by a daily shot of it for immune support, especially during cold and flu season.

AW: Are you offering any specials?

BN: At Chakalaka, we believe in rewarding those who join our journey. When you subscribe through our website, you’ll receive 15% off your first purchase, a warm welcome to the family.

We also run monthly promotions to keep things exciting, and during the holiday season, especially Black Friday and Christmas, you can look forward to major savings, including Buy One, Get One Free deals on select products.

For our local customers in Palm Beach County, we offer free delivery on all orders, no minimum required. And for those outside the county, we’ll gladly deliver to your door free of charge on orders over $50.

It’s our way of making Chakalaka not only flavorful and healthy, but accessible and convenient for everyone who craves something real.

AW: Tell us about your wife and family.  Your wife oversees a couple of non-profit organizations, correct? 

BN: My wife, Camila, is the quiet force behind everything I do. Together, we’re raising three incredible children, and her unwavering support has been foundational throughout the highs and lows of building Chakalaka. But beyond our family, Camila’s impact reaches far beyond our home, she’s a true leader and humanitarian.

She is the founder of The Giving Genie, a nonprofit based in Mozambique that empowers young women through education, entrepreneurship training, disaster preparedness, and child protection. Every bottle of Chakalaka sold contributes $1 to this mission, and last year alone, we proudly donated over $14,000. These funds directly support women and girls in regions where opportunities are few, and seeing this work flourish fills me with pride.

Camila also leads The Guatemalan Tomorrow Fund, a dynamic nonprofit dedicated to uplifting Guatemala’s indigenous communities. Through hands-on education, particularly for girls, rural healthcare initiatives, sustainable development, and child protection efforts, the organization is helping build long-term self-sufficiency. Whether it’s constructing schools and clinics or preserving cultural heritage, the work is both powerful and deeply personal.

Together, we share a commitment to giving back. After Hurricane Ian devastated parts of Florida, I spent three days cooking and packaging meals to send to families in need. It’s moments like these that remind me why we do what we do. Chakalaka is more than a brand, it’s part of a greater mission to serve, uplift, and inspire.

AW: How long have you lived in the United States? 

BN: I’ve called Florida home for the past four years, but my journey in the United States began in 2018. In nearly eight years, I’ve experienced a cultural richness here that continues to inspire me every day. What captivated me most was the incredible diversity, so many traditions, flavors, and stories coming together in one place.

That cultural tapestry sparked something in me. I’ve always had a deep passion for sharing what I know, what I’ve created, and where I come from. Being involved in the community and contributing through food has become more than just a profession, it’s a calling.

AW: What’s next for Chakalaka?

BN: Chakalaka has come a long way, but we’re just getting started. Growth is in motion, and while our current lineup of sauces, relishes, and vinaigrettes continues to gain momentum, the vision for the brand goes far beyond the shelf.

We’re actively developing new products, including spice rubs, seasonings, and pickled goods. But perhaps the most exciting part of our journey is what’s coming next. A Chakalaka tasting room.

This won’t be a traditional restaurant. Think of it as a curated lounge, an immersive space where guests can sample African-inspired small bites like marinated beef, grilled shrimp, spiced chicken, and vibrant salads and all infused with our signature sauces and seasonings. It’s about creating an experience, one that invites people to connect with the ingredients, the stories, and the culture behind Chakalaka.

The goal is simple. To let people taste the soul of our brand in every bite, and to bring African flavor to the forefront in a way that’s approachable, exciting, and unforgettable.

AW: Anything else you’d like to add?

BN: Wellington, Florida is more than just where we operate, it’s home. No matter how far the Chakalaka journey takes us, this community will always be our foundation.

I’m incredibly grateful for the support we’ve received, not just locally, but from customers across the United States. Every order, whether it’s from across town or across the country, is produced, packaged, and shipped right here in Wellington. There’s a deep sense of pride in knowing that our flavors, born from tradition and crafted with care, are making their way to kitchens nationwide, all starting from this place we call home.

Visit ShopChakalaka.com