Digital Revolution Links Fresh Produce Farmers And Buyers

For those already using it, a newly launched and innovative online trading platform is reportedly revolutionising the way that South Africa’s fresh produce sellers and buyers conduct their typically time-sensitive and demanding trading with each other. HelloChoice’s co-founders explain how the platform works and its benefits to both sellers and buyers.

- Lloyd Phillips

Having long been a potato farmer in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, Graeme Jarvie understands well the challenges that fresh produce sellers have to deal with to ensure they achieve the best possible prices for their produce while providing buyers with their particular needs. These challenges include synchronising harvesting with demand, making early morning calls and sending emails to potential buyers to negotiate prices and volumes, preparing each sold batch for collection or delivery, and ensuring that full payment is received from each buyer.

About two years ago, after being inspired by the book Platform Revolution by Geoffrey Parker, Marshall Van Alstyne and Sangeet Choudary, Jarvie realised that he and other South African fresh produce sellers could achieve so much more for their businesses if they digitised their products and services and provided helpful information about these via the Internet to prospective buyers.

Jarvie partnered with his cousin-in-law, Grant Jacobs, an information technology expert who has since played a vital role in guiding the technological aspects of the development of Jarvie’s digital fresh produce trading platform idea. The two men are now co-founders of and major shareholders in their business, HelloChoice.

A third key role player has been Wayne Berger of iShack Innovation Consultancy, who is also a shareholder in the platform.

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