LUJU TRADER APPLICATION FORM 2026

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As part of our selection criteria, it is important for applicants to align their products with the relevant themes:

CULINARY THEME: NGUNI FOODWAYS

At the 2026 Standard Bank Luju Food & Lifestyle Festival, we turn our gaze to
the Nguni, celebrating both cow and culture. For centuries, the Nguni have shaped Southern Africa’s cultural and culinary landscapes, with food at the heart of their identity, economy, and spiritual life. From foraging wild plants to domesticating cattle, their foodways evolved into a holistic system where the Nguni cow became both sustenance and symbol, a living emblem of wealth, status, memory, and belonging, woven into rituals of marriage, healing, and celebration.

FASHION THEME: KWESUKASUKELA

Kwesukasukela — the phrase that opens every folktale told around the fire — invites us back to the roots of African storytelling. It is a tribute to imagination shaped by heritage: the heroes, animals, landscapes, and lessons that have travelled through generations by word of mouth. This year’s theme celebrates the art of storytelling as a living expression of culture. Guests are invited to re-imagine these timeless tales through dress — drawing inspiration from traditional motifs, proverbs, and characters found across Africa’s oral histories. Think woven textures, symbolic patterns, natural materials, and inventive reinterpretations of familiar stories. Each outfit becomes a story in itself — a creative translation of the phrase “Once upon a time…” into colour, fabric, and form.

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TRADING ENVIRONMENTS:

The LUJU Food Garden is the pulse of the festival. It welcomes speciality vendors that offer a delectable range of authentic culturally diverse flavours. food vendors are carefully selected based on high quality food standards, strong visual aesthetic and experiential customer service. Different pockets of the festival called Hives, offer an opportunity for pop up food stations that support drinks pairing, tastings and specialised demonstrations by reknowned chefs and connoseurs. The culinary hives in the LUJU Food Garden include a beer garden, premium lounge, wine saloon, taste of Africa, cocktail lounge and the Heritage Food Court. vendors are encouraged to serve dishes that are unique, visually attractive and consistently tasty. An understanding of gastronomy and experience in food trading is essential.
The LUJU Fashion Café will be showcasing the best of Eswatini Design, Beauty and Fashion in the Fashion Café Marketplace (beauty, accessories, jewellery, fashion, homeware. Selection Criteria includes: Locally designed and made products; Swati owned design, lifestyle and handcraft brands; Social or environmental conscious products and/or mission; Unique design / original product or idea; High quality products, finishing, materials, design – to fit the Luju customer; Clear brand identity and social media presence; We also reserve spaces for up-and coming talent who may not fit all the criteria yet.
The kids-oriented LUJU Bee Hive welcomes vendors looking to provide exciting and engaging entertainment and food for children up to the age of 16. Theme related activities and games are preferred.
Experiential Services applications are available for traders looking to enhance the festival experience for our guests. Clearly outlined service plans must be shared.

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IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

Festival Dates: 1st and 2nd August 2026
Trader Applications closing date: 15th May 2026. Final trader selection will be made by xxxxx.
Festival Trading hours:
- Food Garden: Saturday: 3pm – 1.30am Sunday: 9am – 2.30am
- Fashion Café: Saturday: 3pm – 9pm Sunday: 9am -9pm
- The Bee Hive: Saturday: 3pm - 6pm Sunday: 9am – 6pm
- Experiential Services and other stalls: Saturday: 3pm – 2am Sunday: 9am – 3am
Traders are assessed on the basis of their product quality, uniqueness, experience, clean & professional set up as well as high quality customer service.
Successful applicants will be required to read, understand and sign various documents that will be sent leading up to the festival.
Applying traders must have an interactive social media page or website with all their product offerings visibly displayed.
Applicants must attach ORIGINAL images of their food and products in their applications. Images from the internet or AI generated will not be considered.
LUJU is a 100% cashless environment. All vendors are required to use this system in place for any and all business transactions within the festival grounds. Training will be provided.
LUJU is committed to being an eco-friendly event. In an effort to protect our environment, no single-use plastic items [e.g. plastic water bottles, plastic cutlery, Styrofoam, plastic straws, plastic bags] will be allowed at the festival and ALL traders are required to use biodegradable packaging.
Applicants looking to sell or use beverages of any kind (alcoholic, non-alcoholic or any liquid consumable) need to provide clarity and exact details of this product. This will be vetted and can only be sold upon authorisation by the Festival Bars HOD and Festival Directors. Until confirmation has been provided, it must be considered that your stall may not sell beverages.
Due to the volume of applicants, only successful applicants will be contacted with an offer to trade, after which stall payment must be made within 14 days to secure your spot. If you have not received an offer by xxxxx, please consider your application unsuccessful.
Awards will be given to some of the best designed, appropriately themed and most interactive exhibitors.
All stalls must be setup by xxxx.

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	Food Garden	Fashion Cafe	The Bee Hive	Experiential Services
Stall Fees	E 2000 + 12% commission	E 1100 +12% commission	E 700 + 12% commission	E900 +12% commission
Stall Space	4 x 4m stall space	Large Table or single clothing rail + pallet stand	3 x 3m stall space	3x3m stall space
Accreditation	Up to 8 trader tickets	Up to 4 trader tickets	Up to 4 trader tickets	Up to 4 trader tickets
Vehicle access	1x trader Vehicle sticker	1x trader vehicle sticker	1x trader vehicle sticker	1 x vehicle sticker
Power [Detailed electrical plan will be required].	20 Amps max	20 Amps max	20 Amps max	20 amps max

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I have read and understood the above information:* This field is required.

Agree

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Trading Category:* This field is required.

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Name of Stall/Brand:* This field is required.

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Primary Contact:* This field is required.

First Name

Last Name

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Cell Number: * This field is required.

Area Code

Phone Number

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Email:* This field is required.

example@example.com

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Business Address:

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Website (if applicable):

www.example.com

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Social Media Page/s: * This field is required.

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Please give a brief summary of your product/service and what makes it unique?* This field is required.

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Briefly explain how your product is made? Eg: Carved and painted using certain techniques.* This field is required.

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Where are your products made?* This field is required.

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What materials are used to make your products?* This field is required.

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Where do you source your raw materials?* This field is required.

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Are your products recycled, re-purposed, reparable – please explain: * This field is required.

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Who Designs Your Products? (name, nationality and experience) * This field is required.

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Does your product have any traditional techniques, cultural references, family knowledge? Please describe and explain the brands connection to this practice * This field is required.

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Describe your social or environmental mission?* This field is required.

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What is the design philosophy of your brand / or collection you wish to sell?* This field is required.

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Is your product/Service (tick where applicable)* This field is required.

Bespoke

Organic

Freshly Made

Environmentally Friendly

Sustainably Sourced

Fair Trade

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Is your product/service made by (tick where applicable):* This field is required.

Yourself

A Company

Other

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If other, please give a brief explanation:* This field is required.

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List your proposed product/service range and pricing for each product [Consider the 12% commission charge on your final sales]:* This field is required.

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If selling food, how long is your average serving time?

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Over and above standard portions, LUJU requires all food traders to make available sample size options for display and tasting. Describe how you plan to create and present miniature portions of your existing product:

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Have you traded at a festival or market before?* This field is required.

Yes

No

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If yes, please specify where and when:

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Have you traded at LUJU before?* This field is required.

Yes

No

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If yes, how do you plan to improve your stall design, set up and customer experience in 2026?

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How will you ensure you have adequate stock available during the festival? if you're an international trader, please share how you will ensure ease of border clearance for your products/ingredients being imported into Eswatini* This field is required.

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LUJU is committed to being an eco-friendly event. With an increased focus on recycling and energy saving, all traders are required to use biodegradable packaging and primarily gas powered equipment. Describe what biodegradable packaging will you be using?* This field is required.

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Describe your working plan - if more staff are required above the standard ticket allocation.* This field is required.

If more staff are required than allocated, kindly note you will need to purchase additional trader tickets.

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LUJU embraces the fashion element. How will your staff outfits complement the LUJU fashion theme in 2026?* This field is required.

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Describe how you intend to decorate your stall space in keeping with the festival fashion or culinary theme:* This field is required.

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How do you intend to create an interactive experience for festival guests at your stall?* This field is required.

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What electrical equipment will you be bringing in? Please list all electrical items you will be using and their labelled power requirements, including each of their Watts and Amps [Voltage(V) will NOT be accepted]. Please note that power will be provided as stated, but NO additional electrical appliances can be used at the festival without alerting the festival officials. Even one unauthorised kettle can blow significant portions of the festival electrical system. Should you require more power during the festival, please note there will be additional charges.* This field is required.

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Attach your best 3 photos of your unique product(s).* This field is required.

Drag and drop files here

Select files to upload

Max. file size: 10.6MB

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Attach photos or sketches of your stall design and set-up plan [mood boards or sketches are encouraged]:* This field is required.

Drag and drop files here

Select files to upload

Max. file size: 10.6MB

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I Full Name * on behalf of Stall Name * have read & agree with the terms prescribed above and have provided all the required information and images of my product(s)