Do freshness and transparency matter when stocking your pantry? Then it’s always better to buy small and buy local. Gauteng is home to a great community of specialist producers who offer tasty and quality products without cutting corners.
Saadiq Samodien suggests some of the indie food and drinks brands to keep on your radar. So spread the love and celebrate our local Jozi producers by buying stocking up on this great food and drink products.
BAKE UP A STORM WITH MILLSTONE ARTISAN FLOUR
This quarantine has renewed the passion of baking locally and abroad. #Sourdough challenge anyone? And any dedicated artisan baker will highlight the importance of stoneground flour that’s able to rise to the challenge. The stoneground milling process famously retains many of the nutrients often lost when it comes to conventional roller milling.
Millstone Artisan Flour offers an ever-expanding range of premium speciality stoneground flour and products. The milling company based in Durban launched from honest, humble beginnings in 2000. Today it forms part of the Just Flour umbrella and supplies quite a few blue-chip and respected bakers in the industry.
Their product range includes stoneground varieties of wholemeal wheat flour, cake and brown and white bread flour, as well as 100% rye speciality flour. And don’t forget to give their Farina “00” range a try for some flop-free gnocchi at home.
If you’re a bakery or restaurant owner, Millstone Artisan Flour allows flexibility and custom solutions on their wheat products with great support and consistently good flour at the right price.
Where to get it: Contact the Millstone Flour team for your closest retailer and/or distributor
Website: www.justflour.co.za | Email: info@justflour.co.za | Tel: 031 500 9812
Facebook: @Millstoneflour | Instagram: @Millstoneflour
SOUTH AFRICA’S ORIGINAL KOMBUCHA COMPANY LAUNCHES SUGAR FREE CREAM SODA WITH GREEN ROOIBOS
Established in 2013, Theonista is best known for leading the pack when it comes to introducing kombucha commercially in South Africa and has since won 5 international awards for their products. The brand specialises in a wide range of truly healthy kombucha, craft soda, rooibos chai latte, organic teas and homebrew DIY kits to get a headstart on your next hobby.
And yet again Theonista is expanding the “better for you” drinks category with their soon-to-be-released Sugar Free Cream Soda. This innovative healthy soda is made with natural ingredients such as prebiotic-rich organic baobab and green rooibos.
The drink is also stripped of all the toxic preservatives and additives that can still be traced in 99% of all soft drinks on supermarket shelves right now. It’s a unique and grown-up rendition of a childhood classic and golden in colour, not green.
Their kombucha range still ticks the boxes when it comes to truly handcrafted drinks with transparent and creative flavours. Our favourite is the Cape Point Blend Kombucha which is made from indigenous botanicals for a floral and refreshing medium fizz drink.
Where to get it: Nationwide stockists includeJackson’s Real Food Market & Faithful by Nature (online) – or get in touch with Theonista directly.
Website: www.theonista.co.za | Email: orders@theonista.co.za | Tel: 066 411 2080
Facebook: @TheonistaProducts | Instagram: @Theonista
ETHICALLY FARMED FOOD BOXES DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR
Earth Eats founders Lee-Ann Spark and Jo Spilsbury advocate for conscious farming and healthy people. As mothers, the duo insists on non-GMO, glyphosate-free, antibiotic-free and hormone-free food for their families.
Through Earth Eats they are following this philosophy by providing beautifully packed food boxes delivered to your door.
Jo’s Pasture-raised Eggs and Chicken are staples to their boxes, along with other amazing health and beauty products by makers they know, love and trust.
‘Our mission is for all our products to be 100% natural, free from all harmful additives’, explained Jo Spilsbury. Trust Earth Eats to do the research, know the farmer and only provide products that have personally been tried, tested and loved.
Where to get it: Order online directly from the Earth Eats team
Website: www.eartheats.co.za | Email: orders@eartheats.co.za | Whatsapp: 071 605 6254
Facebook: @EarthEatsSA | Instagram: @eartheats_sa
NATURAL SUPERFOODS FROM SMALL SCALE AFRICAN FARMERS
Umoya Foods is a startup that creates nutritionally rich products using African ingredients as a way of supporting small-scale farmers. Their Thrive range of cereals and Nutrient Boost superfood blends are a great way of easily adding greens and nutrients to your diet while still supporting the local economy.
The core ingredient, Amaranth (or Morongo/wild African spinach as we know it), is a drought-resistant and naturalised crop that easily grows all over South Africa.
The Amaranth leaves are solar dried and used in Nutrient Boost superfood blends which can be added to smoothies for a healthy micronutrient kick, while the seeds are roasted and popped like popcorn for gluten-free Thrive Cereals. This on-farm processing helps increase farmer income because it allows them to charge a premium for their crops.
Umoya Foods’ products contain whole food, plant-based ingredients that are packed with essential nutrients that make them high in antioxidants, good anti-inflammatories and a source of healthy fibre and fats. They contain no sugar, preservatives or other nasties.
To find out more about their nutrient-dense products and recipes visit their website or give them a follow on social media.
Where to get it: Umoya Foods Online Store, Jackson’s Real Food Market, selected Spar stores, Honest Food in Dunkeld, as well as key speciality stores in Gauteng.
SAVE WITH WHAT’S ON IN JOBURG: USE THE DISCOUNT CODE “UMOYA” AND GET 20% OFF YOUR FIRST PURCHASE
Website: www.umoyafoods.com | Email: info@umoyafoods.com | Tel: 074 859 0571
Facebook: @umoyafoods | Instagram: @umoyafoods
EXPLORE EASTERN CUISINE WITH SPICE AND ALL THINGS NICE
Eagle-eyed shoppers and passionate cooks will already be familiar with the tasty curry paste and complementaries of Spice and All Things Nice. The Kosher-certified group famously steers clear from preservatives and additives, and instead focus only on the finest ingredients for their product range.
Spice and All Things Nice specialises in a variety of base ingredients and condiments to whip up a great Eastern-influenced meal in minutes. Think Indian, Thai, Moroccan, Balti and Middle East, as well as Cape Malay cuisine for some flavours closer to home.
Vegans can also delight, as the Spice and All things range do not contain any animal-based ingredients, and some of the products are gluten-free. Their pantry boxes priced between R250-R300 are great ways to start building plant-based breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. All that’s needed is your preferred fresh vegetables or if you’re vegan, a protein replacement and you’re ready to experiment with their spices.
All the pantry boxes include some recipe ideas, so no worries if you hit a brick wall. That’s exactly philosophy at Spice and All Things Nice – to make cooking healthy, fun, and convenient.
Spice and All Things Nice is the brainchild of passionate cook and dedicated mum, Gillian Downes, who started the venture in 2002 from her mum’s Newlands kitchen. Today her range of spices, pastes, and rice are widely distributed in South Africa’s top supermarkets.
Where to get it: Spice and All Things Nice online store, Faithful by nature, Yuppiechef, as well as Pick ‘n Pay, Wellness Warehouse, Dischem, and selected Spar stores.
Website: www.spice.co.za | Email: gillian@spice.co.za | Tel: 021 448 2601
Facebook: @SpiceAndAllThingsNiceSA | Instagram: @spice_andallthingsnice
FUNCTIONAL ROOIBOS HEALTH SHOTS FROM BOS BRANDS
The BOS Brands story began in 2010 when Grant Rushmere, a passionate, creative entrepreneur asked the question: can you be healthy and still have fun?
Rushmere had an epiphany: rooiBOS combines a home-grown healthy drink with the South African phrase ‘GO BOS,’ which means to go crazy in a fun way.
He started designing cans in beautiful colours and creating delicious recipes with natural fruit flavours and partnered with Richard Bowsher – entrepreneur and enthusiastic farmer of organic rooibos.
The product range has expanded since then to consist of BOS Ice Tea (available in a low sugar core range, Sugar-Free and Sparkling Unsweetened), BOS Organic Rooibos Tea, BOS Sport and the recently introduced BOS rooibos functional shots range.
These shots are a powerful combination of superfood rooibos, fruit juice and functional ingredients, and they are just what the doctor ordered.
Where to get it: Find them online or at a Pick ‘n Pay near you
Website: www.bosbrands.com | Email: info@bosbrands.com |Tel: 021 465 9989
Facebook: @BOS | Instagram: @BOSworld
SPICE UP WITH WITH FUNKY OUMA
Funky Ouma offers well balanced easy to use practical blends to turn meals into a feast. Whether you’re a foodie or novice in the kitchen, it can be used before and during cooking, and most definitely at the table. So besides that fact that the blends are delicious, they also have a trendy packaging!
This trendy, fresh and new kid on the block brand is the result of a very funky ouma of 10 grandchildren that’s been playing around with food and spices all her life but only decided at 67 to start her own brand together with her youngest daughter Johannita.
Funky Ouma offers wonderful farm fresh herb filled salts and spice for everyday use (especially braai). Fresh oregano, rosemary and lemon zest is the foundation of the Funky Ouma flavours.
Where to get it: Order via their online store, or check to see your nearest stockist. They are also available at Yuppiechef
Website: www.funky-ouma.co.za | Email: info@funky-ouma.co.za |Tel: 079 123 7087
Facebook: @FunkyOuma | Instagram: @funky_ouma
SUSTAINABLE FARMING PRACTICES FROM COUNTRY MEAT
Country Meat is a constituent of a family-owned and managed business – the Sernick Group. Their farm is located just outside of Kroonstad, a region renowned for exceptional beef farming. With humane, sustainable farming practices as their priority, Country Meat ensures the highest standards and quality products.
Country Meat believes that caring for the environment ultimately means caring for their livestock. Therefore, they proudly produce their own natural grain in order to ensure a balanced eco-system on their land of more than 5600 hectares.
There are no animal by-products added to their grain and their Bonsmara cattle never receive routine antibiotics. Furthermore, their state-of-the-art Country Meat abattoir is just down the road. This is in order to reduce the stress which animals feel during transportation.
With the aim of setting a foundation for the highest standards in the market for the meat and deli industry, Country Meat has formed a butcher group which offers the full chain of production, delivery and presentation. In partnership with friends and family, they sell products which are sourced from suppliers across South Africa.
Where to get it: 33 Buitenkant St, Kroonstad | 22 Lonehill Blvd, Lone Hill | 44 1st Ave, Randburg
Website: www.countrymeat.co.za | Email: fourways@cmeat.co.za | Tel: 011 465 0664 or 011 888 0357
Facebook: @Countrymeatsa | Instagram: @Countrymeatbutchery
