New Life for Phillipi Fresh Produce Market

The Phillipi Economic Development Initiative (PEDI), a City of Cape Town entity, has historically provided urban management services and some farming and training in the Phillipi area in Cape Town.

Recently, their Fresh Produce Market, built in the ‘90’s and largely under-utilised, has become a buzzing hive of activity as a small scale farmer’s market. Small scale farmers were left with produce they were unable to sell when hotels and restaurants closed as the country locked down.

These farmers have found alternative access through business models that were rapidly and ingeniously re-jigged pretty much overnight. FoodForward, an NGO who have made this shift possible, collect produce and deliver it to the Fresh Produce Market where it is sorted and packed for distribution by ucook, an online grocery supply store. Ucook have partnered with the Oranjezicht Farm Market who were unable to operate under the lockdown regulations. Together they supply grocery boxes inclusive of fresh fruit, veg, dairy, fish and meat sourced exclusively from local producers. Orders are made online and the grocery boxes are delivered weekly. The income generated from this enterprise keeps the farmers running and funds the supply of fresh produce to vulnerable communities living in the neighbouring Phillipi communities.

The identification of recipients and distribution of these packages is operated by Beautiful Gate and Equal Education, two NGO’s working on the ground with the Phillipi communities. Young community volunteers assist with the distribution into their communities using taxis previously used for Equal Education transport. Identified recipients are verified by field workers who issue vouchers that are redeemed for a food parcel at a collection point.

The current output from the Phillipi Fresh Produce Market is one tonne of fresh produce. Ambitions are high with the aim to increase produce output to eight tonnes. These plans are however contingent upon funding which PEDI is hopeful will be found soon. In the meantime, through innovation, community networks and grassroots know-how, the Phillipi Fresh Produce Market has been given new life that offers a lifeline to vulnerable communities.

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