PICS: Bio Pak wins 2025 Nedbank Business Ignite: 'It's such an honour!'

CapeTalk's Lester Kiewit speaks to John Fox of Bio Pak, this year's winner of Nedbank Business Ignite.

Listen below: 

This year, the Nedbank Business Ignite competition celebrated the guts, determination and passion it takes when a small business dares to disrupt the industry by expanding sustainably, enhancing operational efficiency, and creating a lasting impact.

After months of fierce competition and a thorough judging process, 15 deserving finalists were selected, but only one small business owner claimed the top spot: John Fox of Bio Pak.

Bio Pak specialises in producing 100% biodegradable, home-compostable food packaging solutions at accessible prices.

From coffee cups and lids to takeaway cartons, their core product line offers sustainable, plastic-free packaging designed to break down naturally in a home compost bin, eliminating the need for industrial composting facilities typically required for traditional plastics or PLA-lined paper products.

Fox's business ticked every criterion and walked away with R200,000 and an advertising package valued at R200,000 with CapeTalk.

At a ceremony hosted at the CapeTalk studios on Tuesday, 8 July, Fox was presented with the award.

On the win, Fox says it's such a 'privilege' to have won because the competition was 'stiff' and 'everyone deserves it'.

"It's such a privilege and such an honour. I looked at all the other contestants out there and I thought, 'Yoh, we're up against such stiff competition, everyone deserves it'. I was driving home last night and shouting at myself in the car... it was really a privilege."

- John Fox (Bio Pak), winner - 2025 Nedbank Business Ignite

Fox explains the plans for this small, now award-winning business.

"The plan now is starting to scale up and out to other areas. We're getting enquiries from places like Mauritius and Zimbabwe, so we'll be able to expand our operations and we're very excited..."

- John Fox (Bio Pak), winner - 2025 Nedbank Business Ignite

Fox has some advice for future Nedbank Business Ignite entrants.

"The most important thing is to believe in yourself and believe in your product. If you can put those two together, you've got a winning formula..."

- John Fox (Bio Pak), winner - 2025 Nedbank Business Ignite

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the full conversation.