Products from the Kassiesbaai Kitchen collective are now available on ABALOBI Marketplace.
Who is the Kassiesbaai Kitchen?
Kassiesbaai Kitchen is a women’s collective from Arniston that produces a range of traditional coastal pantry products. ABALOBI conducted a course in this fishing community focused on small-scale business development in pantry products and preserving techniques. From this course, Ileen, Caroleen, and Margaret emerged and came together to form Kassiesbaai Kitchen.
Product Development
These three women started by completing a homework task to make 25 jars of jam from local suurvygies (sour figs), using all the hygiene and bottling principles they had learned from the course. They successfully sold these jars during the Easter period and exceeded their initial expectations.
Since suurvygies are only in season from November to January, they couldn't produce more until the next season. They then experimented with making jams from other fruits, including grape jam, and sold all of these to the chef at the Arniston Hotel, who placed further orders for various flavors.
Business Growth and Community Impact
The women have excelled not only in completing the task and creating a fantastic product but also in developing a strong team unit and building relationships with local businesses, creating new business opportunities with minimal resources. Most of their income has been reinvested into the business to source ingredients for their next jam batches. The hope is that their production and orders will increase, leading to higher income.
Armed with basic business principles of costing and record-keeping, which they are tackling with grit and fortitude, they have continued to thrive and take initiative since April 2022. This confidence has given them hope and pride in creating a small business that helps provide for their families in a community severely impacted by the pandemic and poor fishing income.
Their efforts have not only empowered them as individuals but also instilled hope within their community, inspiring their families and the youth who see their vision growing and their achievements multiplying.
Partnership and Certification
Kassiesbaai Kitchen has partnered with a local farm called The Drift, which donates excess fruit for them to utilize. In turn, they will sell their produce back to the farm. This cooperation is significant, and the hope is that this relationship will continue to grow, providing more opportunities for Kassiesbaai Kitchen.
The collective has also opened their own bank account and successfully applied for a Certificate of Acceptability for their food premises from the Overberg District Municipality after an inspection by the health inspector.
Their Products
Their products include Wild Fig Jam, Preserved Lemons, Sea Lettuce Salt, and Pickled Mussels. These products evoke nostalgia for the rich coastal culture that defines this historical fishing village.
Read more about the ladies of Kassiesbaai Kitchen here, here, and here.