Few consumers properly understand how food production works or have any emotional connection with farmers and farming. This is according to Lauren Murphy, who, through her Internet-based farm produce marketing company, is helping to narrow this gap while supplying tasty, nutritious food to her many loyal clients in KwaZulu-Natal. Lloyd Phillips reports.
After a devastating horse-riding injury in 2016 put paid to Lauren Murphy’s dream of studying equine physiotherapy, the KwaZuluNatal Midlands farmer’s daughter became increasingly despondent about what the future might hold.
Realising that she needed to do something to get her out of this negative mindset, she took a job in early 2018 at The Veg Box Company in the nearby village of Rosetta.
The business, founded by Liz Williams in 2014, is based on the concept of sourcing niche fresh produce, dairy and meat products directly from farmers and artisanal processors within a 100km radius of Rosetta. Williams marketed them on her website and then delivered the orders to business and private customers in the Rosetta, Mooi River, Nottingham Road, Howick and Hilton areas.
Having had a love for growing and cooking food since she was a child, Murphy enjoyed her months working as an assistant to Williams. So, when in October last year Williams offered to sell her the business as a going concern, Murphy jumped at the opportunity, using her life savings to make the purchase.
A SOUND KNOWLEDGE BASE
“Having already worked in the company for a number of months, I knew most of the ins and outs of running it,” says Murphy. “Owning The Veg Box Company now gave me the opportunity to implement some of my own ideas for the business.
“I was also excited that I’d be able to grow fresh produce and maybe add some meat and dairy products, and share these and other outsourced quality foods with my clients.”
Murphy had the added advantage of having worked in her late teens and early twenties with her sister, Casey, and her partner, Brent Bauer, who had grown fresh produce for local stores and restaurants, as well as hotels in Durban.
This story is from the June 28, 2019 edition of Farmer's Weekly.
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This story is from the June 28, 2019 edition of Farmer's Weekly.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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