Local food gardens to sell fresh produce at Checkers Tambotie Mall

Local community food gardens will have the opportunity to sell their fresh produce directly to the public at selected Shoprite and Checkers supermarkets nationwide on Thursday, March 10.

“We first introduced Market Day in 2017 to further extend our support of the many community food gardens Shoprite and Checkers partner with. It provides the gardens with a platform to sell their fresh produce and to promote themselves to a wider customer base.

Garden members gain invaluable skills to operate in a formal retail environment, and it creates additional income-earning opportunities,” said Judy Maluleka, CSI Manager of the Shoprite Group.

She said 24 food gardens will participate in Market Day, selling fresh and organic produce such as spinach, green peppers, tomatoes, cabbage, lettuce and green beans.

The Carroll Shaw Memorial Centre, a local community food garden, will be selling their fresh produce at Checkers Tambotie Mall on March 10.

According to Judy, hunger relief is at the core of the Shoprite Group’s corporate social investment programmes. Through its Act For Change programme the Group supports more than 160 community food gardens and over 2 500 home gardens, which impacts almost 17 000 beneficiaries. In the past year, more than 570 community members were trained in sustainable food gardening, assisting them to generate an income while growing nutritious and organic food.

The Shoprite Group’s support for the community food gardens includes an 18-month agricultural training and mentorship programme for community members, and the supply of seeds, seedlings, gardening implements, water-supply infrastructure and shade netting.”