An extraordinary trio of entrepreneurs who started a company as a joke five years ago have racked up some serious successes even as they break one business trend after another.
Donkey Long Tong started around a braai when co-founder Simone Hattingh wished that someone would invent a braai tong so long that the braaier would never have to burn their hands. This set off a long-running series of long tong jokes by her husband Marcel and their friend Nic Eve, which culminated in a prototype that Marcel made out of throw away materials, still as a joke.
That whopping tong of 80cm turned out to be so handy around a braai that they returned to Cape Town after one of their camping trips, determined to make 300 long tongs by hand in time to sell for Heritage Day 2021, just to see what would happen.
If you had told them then that five years later they would have sold 150 000 tongs, own a factory of 35 artisans, have their products stocked in 250 stores and sell 30% of their tongs overseas, they would have laughed it off as part of the joke.
The origin story is hardly the most unusual thing about Donkey Long Tong. The three friends set out to make their products by hand at such a high quality that it would last for generations.
Against all advice that they move their production facilities overseas and do the marketing from South Africa, the trio have stubbornly insisted that every component that goes into their products is made locally and by themselves inside their own factory as far as possible.
Their refusal to offshore and outsource has given them extraordinary control over their quality.
Their hiring practices have been just as unconventional. Each new hire is taken on board for three months. The final decision to hire them permanently or not is then taken by their coworkers, not by the three founders. The result is a group of people who work together like an extended family, solving production problems and innovating continuously.
Today, Donkey Long Tong’s products have expanded to include a fire blower with a patent-pending adjustable jet nozzle, a flame fan and a leather braaing apron, each made to last a lifetime.
Although the products and the legend built around them is very South African, the company is actively pursuing overseas sales. “Not many products sold overseas are instantly recognisable as South African, but when they are, consumers regard them as very high quality,” says Nic, “Think Springboks, South African wines and fruits.”
Soon, the world may be adding Donkey Long Tong to that list. Despite its unusual name and the unconventional story behind its creation, this venture is no joke. Behind the playful branding lies a serious business opportunity, driven by the same entrepreneurial vision, innovation and determination that have defined their success to date.