Market Day brings farm-fresh vegetables to Checkers shoppers
Tiyimiseleni Home-Based Care's produce was sold at Checkers at Hazyview Junction
Thursday April 4 was Market Day at several Checkers stores around the country. Tiyimiseleni Home-Based Care’s produce was sold at Checkers at Hazyview Junction and produce from Lillydale Home-Based Care was sold at the Checkers Hyper in Edenvale.
That gave customers the opportunity to buy vegetables so fresh, they still smelled of earth and tasted like sunshine, according to Abigail Calata of the Shoprite Group.
It was also an excellent opportunity to support small-scale food gardens that provide sustainable nourishment and income opportunities for vulnerable communities across the country.
As part of its strategy to fight hunger, the Shoprite Group acts for change by partnering with more than 70 gardens. In partnership with Food & Trees for Africa, the retailer offers training and provides gardening equipment as well as seedlings over a period of at least 18 months.
Market Day is a result of this, as it enables community food gardens to promote themselves to a broader customer base and sell their excess crops. It provides them with some much-needed extra income, but also helps boost their independence, which – in turn – leads to greater sustainability.
Those in the Mashishing area could buy freshly-harvested vegetables from the Khomanani Vhanu garden at Checkers Lydenburg. Located near Acornhoek, Khomanani is a Market Day regular and set up shop for the fourth time last Thursday. “We’ve participated in all the other Market Days and they have all been great. The income generated from sales there are much more than when we’re selling vegetables straight from our garden,” said Auriel Ngobeni, a founder of Khomanani Vhanu.
According to Robyn Hills, Food and Trees for Africa programme manager, Market Day is also a great opportunity for the gardens to put the marketing and business skills they have received as part of the Shoprite Group’s support into practice. “Some of these gardens have commercial ambitions and this kind of exposure opens their minds to the great opportunities out there and gives them the experience to grab them.”
