• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • News
  • Lifestyle

Johannesburg grocer is embracing change spurred by Covid-19

26th Jul 2021
Over the past decades the agriculture sector has abandoned rail transport, choosing to rather truck commodities by road. A new rail policy is setting out to make the railways an attractive alternative again. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Transport: ‘Farmers will benefit by switching from road to rail’

23rd May 2022
North West farmers are set to enjoy better services from agricultural extension officers. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

North West to appoint more agri extension officers

23rd May 2022
In this week's Gather To Grows twitter session, PJ Phiri, aquaponics horticulturalist and Michele Carelse, founder of feelgood health unpack with hosts Gugulethu Mahlangu and Dawn Noemdoe the 101 on farming for new farmers. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

This week’s agriculture events: 23 to 27 May 2022

23rd May 2022
Weekend podcast: Get Global GAP certification this way

Weekend podcast: Get Global GAP certification this way

22nd May 2022
Dr Harry Malila, Head of Department and Accounting Officer for the Department of the Premier, Mayor Alderman Franken and minister of agriculture Ivan Meyer showing off freshly made sausage and patti. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Mobile factory brings agri-processing to rural farmers

21st May 2022
Lauren Strever of amorentia sweet dragon fruit estate and Nursery, Micheal Muller of Muller familie boerdery trust and Stephen Mantsho of the South African avocado growers association. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Farmer 101: Holy guacemole! Growing avos worth a try

20th May 2022
The North West department of agriculture and rural development has been allocated a budget of R1.2 billion to spend in the new financial year. However, they have days to report back on how exactly they plant to use this money. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Portfolio committee not letting NW officials off the hook

20th May 2022

This chef is taking fine dining in Kimberley to the top

20th May 2022

Recipe: Butternut soup to go absolutely nuts for

20th May 2022
Gavin Kelly, chief executive officer of the Road Freight Association, says operating costs within the road freight and logistics sector have increased exponentially. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Perfect fuel storm in the road freight, logistics industry

20th May 2022
A burning passion for education and agriculture made it easy for Evelyn Fisher to fulfil her aspirations in the form of an agri academy. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Starting her agri academy a lifelong dream fulfilled

20th May 2022
Conference of the Parties (COP15) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) concludes today (Friday, 20 May). Global leaders are hoping for clear commitments on drought resilience and soil restoration before delegates head home. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

UN land conference: Soil, drought, gender top the talks

20th May 2022
  • Home
  • News
  • Changemakers
  • Lifestyle
  • Farmer’s Inside Track
  • Food for Thought
11 GLOBAL MEDIA AWARDS
Mon, May 23, 2022
Food For Mzansi
  • Home
  • News
  • Changemakers
    • All
    • AgriCareers
    • Entrepreneurs
    • Farmers
    • Groundbreakers
    • Innovators
    • Inspiration
    • It Takes a Village
    • Mentors
    • Movers and Shakers
    • Partnerships
    A burning passion for education and agriculture made it easy for Evelyn Fisher to fulfil her aspirations in the form of an agri academy. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

    Starting her agri academy a lifelong dream fulfilled

    Driving local food security through research

    InnoFoodAfrica project brings food security home

    Iris Telmaggiers (fright), Sophie Sauir and Leoni Pasja harvesting green peppers from Sauir’s garden. Photo: Siphokazi Mnyobe

    Vegetable garden helps Iris cope with son’s death

    Agripreneur 101: Balance is key for this cannabis skincare producer

    Agripreneur 101: Meet a cannabis skincare producer

    Dr Obvious Mapiye, whose studies helped develop new livestock management software. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

    Dr Mapiye’s driven to help small-scale farmers commercialise

    Paballo Khoza is harvesting lettuce on his 6 000 square metre shade-netted farm in Westonaria Agri-Park. Photo: Magnificent Mndebele/Food For Mzansi

    Sweat, tears and dreadful walks: Khoza finally triumphs

    ‘Dream, then pursue it,’ urges tomato farmer

    Thabo Skhosana an emerging farmer in Newcastle in KwaZulu-Natal wants to motivate young farmers who wants to study agriculture. Photo: Supplied/ Food For Mzansi

    ‘The future is ours for the taking,’ says young farmer

    Agripreneur: Learn from a cannabis skincare producer

    Agripreneur: Learn from a cannabis skincare producer

  • Lifestyle
  • Farmer’s Inside Track
  • Food for Thought
No Result
View All Result
Food For Mzansi
Home Changemakers Groundbreakers

Johannesburg grocer is embracing change spurred by Covid-19

by Noluthando Ngcakani
26th Jul 2021
in Groundbreakers, Lifestyle
Reading Time: 5 mins read
A A

Gary Jackson is the owner of Jackson's Real Food Market and Eatery, a Johannesburg-based grocer dedicated to the ethical sourcing of wholefoods. Photo: Supplied

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

The global Covid-19 pandemic is ushering in a wave of what has widely become known as the “conscientious consumer,” believes Johannesburg-based grocery owner, Gary Jackson (55). People are buying differently and thinking differently, with consumers globally embracing fresh perspective through a new lens. Noluthando Ngcakani picked his brain.


“The virus has reshaped the world in real-time and accelerated long-term trends in the span of what has merely been weeks,” says Jackson (55), the co-founder of Jackson’s Real Food Market and Eatery, a small, family-run supermarket that showcases local farmers and producers.

His is a business 39 years in the making which saw its beginnings in his childhood home in Cape Town where he would make homemade jams with his brother and co-founder, Neil (51).

ADVERTISEMENT

“I worked in a restaurant from grade 10 on the weekends and then sold jam door-to-door in the evenings.”

Today the Jackson brothers are the owners of two flagship stores in the high-end Johannesburg neighborhoods of Bryanston and Kyalami.

Fruit beautiful Organic Fruit!
Come fill up your trolleys! Enjoy! pic.twitter.com/7Y1vOIna3W

— Real food market (@jacksonsrfm) October 26, 2020

Noluthando Ngcakani: Gary, you run a niche supermarket, has the global pandemic had any sort of impact on your business?

Gary Jackson: I think Covid-19 was good in that the one good thing that came out of it was people’s awareness for their own health. It has birthed the conscientious consumer.

There is a sort of a fear that if you are not trying to have optimal health, you’re susceptible to a virus and your immunity is low. So now the focus is to get our immunities fixed. A lot of people are studying and researching, looking to YouTube, looking at the Internet to try and find out all the basics.

NN: Jackson’s Real Food Market is committed to showcasing the local small-scale farmer and producer. What sparked the mandate?

GJ: The significance of a small-scale farmer or a producer crafting a product from their home is that they generally are very passionate about what they do, and they spend a lot of time nurturing whatever they grow or make.

Who wins? The customer.

ADVERTISEMENT

I have met a few small-scale farmers who have had to drive for hours on a Saturday to sit at a farmer’s market trying to sell their produce themselves. This meant that they were spending less and less time on the farm. That did not make sense to me.

I think that this nation is not creating jobs for its people. If we can stimulate the entrepreneurs, the start-ups, if we can give them a glimmer of hope by being there for them and seeing that their needs are met, that they are taken care of, more will farm.

ADVERTISEMENT

‘Have the guts to fail and do not beat yourself up when you fail.’

NN: Where did this inspiration to source small-scale produce come from?

GJ: Until you do the hard jobs, you could never run your own business.

I did many of the lower tier jobs. I have washed dishes, peeled potatoes, worked on the grill, worked as a manager opening and closing the restaurant, which made it easier for me to understand exactly how hard it is for the people who work for me.

I always have this deep empathy for them.

That is kind of how it started. I love people. I love seeing people grow. I love developing people. I think that’s what really keeps me going every morning is that, you know, I can see that I can give people opportunities to support their families, but at the same time, I can see them going somewhere with their careers and their lives.

NN: Running a supermarket does not sound like a very simple career choice. What have been some challenges on your journey?

GJ: We have got over 500 suppliers, and not one of them has folded. We’re proud of that.

It is very competitive; we can only offer value. We are slightly pricier than some of the bigger chains like a Pick ‘n Pay and Checkers. I think our main challenge is filling a human need.

A human need for me is what we use to shop like when I was younger, we used to travel shop to shop, go to the butcher, then baker, and then the greengrocer. You shopped at like nine shops.

What we tried to do was bring back the feeling that you are in many shops, so we have got a little bakery, and then we have got a produce section with a butchery. I wanted people to have the feeling that they are buying direct from farms.

It is challenging to get the quality, right. The cold chains are hectic, getting the pricing right, looking after farmers, making sure farmers are sustainable. Making sure your producers do not go bankrupt.

‘I certainly came from a place where I had a very bad diet. I used to love fast food, and junk food. And I got very ill. When that changed, I become more creative.’

NN: You have labelled this new wave of consumers the conscientious consumer. Please unpack this concept.

GJ: Broadly these are people who want to be happy and healthy.

That is my customer base. They want the real food, that is ethically sourced and produced.

If you take your health and your happiness very seriously, you must take your food very, very seriously.

You cannot feed a racehorse a low-quality diet and expect him to perform in any way. And humans are no different, you know, garbage in, garbage out.

Without nutrient dense food and (consuming) the minimal amount of toxins we were going nowhere.

The biggest thing that we try and achieve is human vitality. That does not mean that you look slim, or that you look beautiful or your skin’s nice. For me, when I talk about vitality and longevity, I am talking about a body that does not pain or ache, a skin that is free of eczema and rashes, and reactions. It is a brain that is functioning and to a human, that is happy.

‘If you take your health and your happiness very seriously, you must take your food very, very seriously.’

If you can increase your happiness by changing what you put in your body, I think you can change your life experience on earth in a massive way.

I certainly came from a place where I had a very bad diet. I used to love fast food, and junk food. And I got very ill. When that changed, I become more creative. I became less ADHD, I became calmer, I became more peaceful, I became more loving.

It’s that old Bible saying, you got to take the log out of your own eye before you can help someone take the log out of theirs. How are you going to support a family, if you don’t have optimum health?

NN: How has your childhood impacted your business?

GJ: When I was one my parents decided to go live in Japan. My dad had a fascination for martial arts, and he wanted to learn. I spent the first four years of my life in Tokyo and they take food seriously. They eat clean and focus on taste and nutrition. Without me realising it, I caught the language of food before I could even speak, and I think that was a big effect.

While my mom was cooking, she would put me in the sink and then I’d help her chop, cut make meatballs. I spent a lot of the first ten years of my life cooking and baking and I think that obviously got my passion going.

NN: Have you ever considered being a chef?

GJ: In hindsight, I would have loved to have trained as a chef. I should have. But again, you know, I had a father who did not want me to fail, he wanted me to do well and he thought I must become a businessman and go work in this big mine enterprise.

NN: Do you have any advice for future entrepreneurs looking to make it in this industry?

GJ: Have the guts to fail and do not beat yourself up when you fail. I failed many, many, many times, but you got to pick yourself up, dust yourself up. If you are on the right path, and you are doing what you love, you’ll succeed eventually.

Tags: Gary JacksonJacksons Real Food Market and EateryOrganicsmall-scale farmerssustainable agriculture
Share196Tweet123Send
Noluthando Ngcakani

Noluthando Ngcakani

With roots in the Northern Cape, this Kimberley Diamond has had a passion for telling human interest stories since she could speak her first words. A foodie by heart, she began her journalistic career as an intern at the SABC where she discovered her love for telling agricultural, community and nature related stories. Not a stranger to a challenge Ngcakani will go above and beyond to tell your truth.

Related Posts

Dr Obvious Mapiye, whose studies helped develop new livestock management software. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Dr Mapiye’s driven to help small-scale farmers commercialise

by Tiisetso Manoko
16th May 2022
0

After seeing first-hand the challenges and unsustainable plans that small-scale farmers had to live with, this innovative agricultural researcher is...

The use of black soldier flies for livestock feed is already gaining popularity across Afriac. Photo: Supplied/John Hogg

Insect protein start-up makes investment history

by Ivor Price
26th Apr 2022
0

Inseco, a Cape Town-based company, has raised $5.3 million with its plans to turn insects into a widely available source...

Climate change: Agriculture, forestry and other land-use sectors generate nearly half of total greenhouse gas emissions in Africa. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Climate targets futile without agri emission reductions

by Tunicia Phillips
26th Apr 2022
0

A UN scientific assessment has touted cellular agriculture and cultured meat to reduce the sector’s greenhouse gas emissions. This, as...

Climate change: Agricultural economist Paul Makube says they have been observing periodical droughts and a gradual shift in weather patterns that has impacted both livestock and crop production. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Agri should be proactive in mitigating climate change

by Ivor Price
25th Apr 2022
0

Agricultural economist Paul Makube says they have been observing periodical droughts and a gradual shift in weather patterns that has...

Weekend podcast: Get Global GAP certification this way
Farmer's Inside Track

Weekend podcast: Get Global GAP certification this way

by Duncan Masiwa
22nd May 2022
0

It’s every farmer’s desire to gain access to new local and international customers, but for that to happen a Global...

Read more
Dr Harry Malila, Head of Department and Accounting Officer for the Department of the Premier, Mayor Alderman Franken and minister of agriculture Ivan Meyer showing off freshly made sausage and patti. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Mobile factory brings agri-processing to rural farmers

21st May 2022
Lauren Strever of amorentia sweet dragon fruit estate and Nursery, Micheal Muller of Muller familie boerdery trust and Stephen Mantsho of the South African avocado growers association. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Farmer 101: Holy guacemole! Growing avos worth a try

20th May 2022
The North West department of agriculture and rural development has been allocated a budget of R1.2 billion to spend in the new financial year. However, they have days to report back on how exactly they plant to use this money. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Portfolio committee not letting NW officials off the hook

20th May 2022

This chef is taking fine dining in Kimberley to the top

20th May 2022

Weather warning: ‘Be extra cautious for pests, diseases’

Weekend podcast: Get Global GAP certification this way

Portfolio committee not letting NW officials off the hook

‘Patel, don’t forget sugarcane Master Plan commitments’

Vegetable garden helps Iris cope with son’s death

Podcast: Tips to tackle powdery mildew on tomatoes

THE NEW FACE OF SOUTH AFRICAN AGRICULTURE

With 11 global awards in the first three years of its existence, Food For Mzansi is much more than an agriculture publication. It is a movement, unashamedly saluting the unsung heroes of South African agriculture. We believe in the power of agriculture to promote nation building and social cohesion by telling stories that are often overlooked by broader society.

Transport: ‘Farmers will benefit by switching from road to rail’

North West to appoint more agri extension officers

This week’s agriculture events: 23 to 27 May 2022

Weekend podcast: Get Global GAP certification this way

Mobile factory brings agri-processing to rural farmers

Farmer 101: Holy guacemole! Growing avos worth a try

  • Our Story
  • Contact Us
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Copyright

Contact us
Office: +27 21 879 1824
WhatsApp line: +27 81 889 9032
Marketing: +27 71 147 0388
News: info@foodformzansi.co.za
Advertising: sales@foodformzansi.co.za

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Changemakers
  • Lifestyle
  • Farmer’s Inside Track
  • Food for Thought

Copyright © 2021 Food for Mzansi

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
Go to mobile version