Food Lover’s Market is committed to developing a business that actively lives its values by building transparency and trust with its people, ensuring its people, partners, suppliers and customers are looked after, and that we operate in a way that does not cause harm or damage to the planet. To make this happen, Earth Lovers is making a difference in the following areas: commitment to the environment and tackling climate change; emphasis on health and well-being;our people, i.e. what the organisation is built on; support for small holder farmers and small business owners; and support for vulnerable communities in our country through effective use of our corporate social investment (CSI).
What has Earth Lovers been up to?
- Small Holder Farmers
With the support within the business as well as the buying team, we have been able to bring a number of small holder farmers (farmers who own smaller pieces of land and grow one or two crops) into our supply chain. Our latest addition is `Urban Grown’, landing in stores soon!
- War on Waste
o In Gauteng, a new waste model has just been launched that will result in dramatic cost savings. This builds on the awesome work already done by Norwood and Hillfox stores who now divert over 90% of their waste from landfills.
Nelly Zondi, FLM Norwood’s Health and Safety Manager showing off their War on Waste successes
o The Western Cape region now recycles 20% more than they did a year ago, resulting in tens of thousands of Rands in savings each month. Well done guys!
- Energy Saving
The solar PV installation at the Johannesburg DC has gone live and will produce nearly 600,000 kWh per annum. And in the next few months, we’ll be completing the company’s first carbon footprint assessment.
- Products
Look out for the Reel Gardening boxes that are on sale in stores. Not only are they designed to educate people on where food comes from by encouraging them to grow their own food, but R10 from every box will be donated by Food Lover’s Market to Reel Gardening to produce simple, fun nutritional advice for disadvantaged children.
- Corporate Social Investment (CSI)
We’re delighted to welcome Kate Marais to the team! Kate will be helping to ensure that Food Lover’s Market’s CSI budget is used to create real, lasting change in the organisations that we support. One such successful partnership has been with Food Bank, where we are on course to donate the equivalent of 800,000 meals this year from our three DCs. Awesome!