Ms. Ellen Gunda

Ms. Ellen Gunda is an inspiring Malawian agribusiness entrepreneur whose work highlights the growing impact of women in agriculture and food production on the African continent. She is the Founder and CEO of Fortune Gardens Investment, a company she launched in 2012 that produces groundnuts (peanuts), including confectionary and unshelled varieties, and works with over 9,000 smallholder farmers to help meet market demand in Malawi and Zimbabwe. The business also cultivates beans and has plans to expand into peanut butter processing, creating economic opportunity and strengthening local food value chains.

As a community leader, Ellen has used her entrepreneurial journey to inspire other women in Malawi to enter agribusiness and scale agricultural production into market-ready products. Her participation in events like the Boosting Women in Ag pitch competition brought wider visibility to her enterprise and helped her build investor confidence and business skills. Through her leadership, Fortune Gardens Investment not only supports rural livelihoods but also demonstrates how women can lead sustainable agribusinesses that benefit families and communities.