Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Imfino Zethu, your Green Groccer in St. Lucia

IMFINO ZEHTU IS A PROJECT WORK INITIATIVE

Imfino Zethu is a green grocer that will soon be based in St. Lucia by the sea, to cater for the fresh herb and produce needs of the tourism and  hospitality  industries within the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, along the Elephant Coast of KZN South Africa.


The basic concept for running a green grocer style shop that focuses on culinary herbs and related fresh produce came about when researchers working for project work evaluated the supply and demand chain for fresh produce such as herbs, spinach and the other fresh produce that would be used in high end restaurants as well as in the many bed & breakfast establishments in the Mtubatuba Municipality. The major focus was on a brief study within the high end restaurants and food chains within the St. Lucia village.


Our research team was instructed not to let the folks know that they were doing a #PEEPSEE type study of what herbs were sourced local and what was not locally available.   this was successful as I do believe that none of these guys realized that they were being spied on, so that we could evaluate the feasibility of a green grocer within the village of St. Lucia.  Well there is quite some competition when it comes to the standard fair of potatoes, onions, cabbage and carrots, but once one steps up in the market and starts asking around for things like jem squash,, Mswelies, Mbatha, Uqadolo or Imbuya, then you get asked what are you talking about.


Well these are traditional African greens, which all fall under the umbrella of Imfino.  Imfino is a Zulu Word which can be loosely translated as Green Leafy Vegetables. And Imfino Zethu can be loosely translated into English as Our greens or fresh leafy veggies.


The idea here is to establish a green grocer focusing on culinary herbs and African style Greens, so that a small group of farmers in the Dukuduku South Region of the Greater St. Lucia wetlands can have a sustainable market for their fresh produce.  We still need to do some work on the education side of things, so that the farmers can understand the needs of their client base, and package the herbs and Imfino in a suitable manner for consumption within that market space.  We still have some time for that as the first seeds have not germinated yet, how ever there is prep work on the ground in progress.


Our  lesson on the practical aspects of packaging their end products,  will be a small hands on tour of a few different retail outlets that supply fresh herbs to the public, and include, but not be limited to :  Food Lovers Market in Richards bay,  checkers, shop-right, OK FOODS, Richards Bay spar. Pick n Pay Mtubatuba, Pick n pay Richards Bay Board walk.


Project work will soon be getting its own blog, which will work together with my blog to promote all  tourism issues, focusing on using the beach as a tourism attraction, and living off of the passing trade associated with the recreational use of our beaches within the iSimangaliso Wetland park.

Project work is also discussed here 


Thanx for reading now please do share this with your social media networks.  we would really appreciate the extra exposure.


#projectwork
#FRANKIE2SOCKS


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