As I write this in the quiet calm of a Sunday morning, there is a palpable buzz building, an energy growing around a shared vision of a healthier, more sustainable way of living. Just this week, Cape Talk’s Pippa Hudson featured Jessica Merton, the founder of the Food Club Hub, who shared the inspired origin story of the food club concept and its blossoming impact. If you listen closely, you’ll even hear a nod to our Stanford/Hermanus food club.

🎧 Listen to the Food Hub Interview here.

The Food Club Hub, which powers our online shop, is a non-profit organisation dedicated to crafting an alternative food system that honours regenerative farming practices. This mission is at the heart of everything we do.

A Different Breed of Shopping

Did you know that our online interface might look like a typical online shop, but it actually operates in a whole different way. It’s a custom-made system designed for pre-orders and group buying, not managing goods on shelves with an instant checkout.

Here’s what sets us apart:

– Direct Wholesale Purchases: We collectively buy directly from suppliers, which means better prices for you.
– One Delivery, Massive Savings: By consolidating our orders, we save on courier fees, fuel, and packaging.
– No Stock, No Overhead: Without the need to hold inventory, we avoid expensive monthly rentals and running costs, reducing the food expenses significantly down to only a small Market Day fee.

Transparent and True

In a food club, there’s no upfront payment at checkout.

Why?

We must first submit our group orders and then confirm availability with our suppliers. While this might seem inconvenient, it’s another cost-saving measure that eliminates the need for expensive wharehouse management software, the physical space to continuously store goods, and the people to manage it.

Another big difference is that the food club system is not about profit — it’s about reconnecting consumers with real food, great brands, and supporting the true heroes: organic and regenerative farmers.

Our system is designed to be transparent and to maximise savings and win-win benefits.

Harvest Club retains only a modest 10% to 15%, and the Food Club Hub receives 5% of your order, with your invoice clearly showing how much of your spend (from 75-85%) that goes directly to the hardworking farmers and producers.

This is in sharp contrast to the supermarket system, where farmers typically receive only 37.3% of retail prices, according to Tracey Ledger’s research for her 2016 book, An Empty Plate.

Innovating for the Future

The best part? Innovation is in full swing right now, with new ideas to enhance our shopping experience and recent media coverage too – from RSG to SAfm, Fine Music Radio and News24 – propelling this alternative food system forward in 2024!

Embracing the Unconventional

This way of shopping might be unconventional, and it’s not without its quirks, but together, we’re transforming a global industrial food system into something far more local, fair, and sustainable.

Every time someone joins our club, it’s a victory dance for health and sustainability! Because we’re not just shopping; we’re envisioning a healthier way of life. A future where we know our farmers and food makers, where they prosper, creating jobs and chemical-free food while nurturing our soil and planet.

Co-Creating a Vibrant Future

Thank you for being a part of this movement. With each product you choose and each order you place, you’re helping to co-create a more beautiful future.

Together, we’re not just change-makers; we’re the architects of a new world.

Who would’ve thought that simply doing your monthly gocery shopping could make such an impact?

Enjoy this quick video that demonstrates how the food club system works.

We’re More Powerful in a Group

By buying together, we create group buying power that not only ensures the best prices, but the most direct support for our local heroes – the farmers and food makers.

Our Harvest Club Market Days are hosted each month in Stanford and Hermanus. But with the recent addition of a home delivery service, we’re expanding our reach from Betty’s Bay to Franskraal, with Caledon and Bredasdorp a possibility too.

How to Join the Harvest Club Family?

1. Sign up with your email address on our Harvest Club home page and get instructions to create your free account.
2. Join our WhatsApp group for updates on dates, new suppliers, and special offers.

Be Part of the Change!

🛒 If you’ve already got your Food Club account, here’s the link to our January shop, only open until Tuesday, 16 Jan: Shop Now

Don’t forget our January Market Day dates:

– Stanford Collections:
Monday, 29 Jan, 13:00 – 17:00 at Sunset Place Farm.
– Hermanus Collections:
Tuesday, 30 Jan, 11:00 – 14:30 at the Hermanus Golf Club.
– Home Deliveries are an option for those who can’t make the collection.