Supporting your local suppliers during and after the lockdown
Category News
While we are all cooped up in our homes, becoming overly familiar with our beds and dreaming about enjoying our favourite meal in a restaurant again, small businesses are struggling to keep afloat as many find themselves unable to operate at all, or only able to operate in a reduced capacity. This includes our favourite restaurants, hairdressers, beauty salons, family-owned delis, and grocers, who are all struggling to pay staff and make ends meet.
These businesses have had to think of innovative ways in which to keep running as an essential service during lockdown or, if they can't run, to find ways in which to ensure their staff receive some income during these times. For those of us who are in a position to help our local suppliers stay afloat during these times, it is crucial that we do so to ensure that they are able to open up again when things start returning to normal.
Here are some of the ways you can support your favourite suppliers and local businesses from at home:
Find out which of your usual suppliers are able to sell essential items and support them rather than big supermarket chains.
Many suppliers, from small family-run farms, to restaurants, delis and grocers, who are unable to provide their customers with their usual services, have found innovative ways in which to operate as essential services during this time.
For some this means selling and delivering fresh produce or groceries like Farm Fresh direct deliveries in the Garden Route, Granadilla.Eats in Cape Town and Farm Fresh Online in Johannesburg; selling and delivering cleaning products like Sweep South; delis and grocers that prepare and sell a variety of pre-made frozen meals that customers can heat up at home; restaurants that offer DIY "make it at home" care packages with ingredients for meals such as pizzas; and opening up their bakeries to sell breads and other baked goods.
Rather than shopping at the big supermarket chains, find out which of your favourite local suppliers are still operating during the lockdown and buy your produce from them. It is also important to continue to support them once the lockdown has ended, to ensure they're able to get back (and stay) on their feet.
For a more comprehensive list of essential produce and grocery deliveries in Cape Town, take a look at this list by the Inside Guide: https://insideguide.co.za/cape-town/delivery-coronavirus-lockdown/
Here is a list by Crushmag of essential produce and grocery deliveries in Johannesburg: https://crushmag-online.com/jhb-essential-delivery-services-the-ultimate-lockdown-list/
Vouchers
Many suppliers have implemented a voucher system to help their staff and their business bring in some income while they're stuck at home unable to work during lockdown. The voucher system works on a buy now, receive later basis - for example, you can pay for a haircut voucher from your hairdresser or a manicure voucher now, to claim when the lockdown is over.
Many restaurants across the country are also selling meal vouchers which can be redeemed after lockdown. That way you can support them from the comfort of your home - and you're guaranteed to have good hair/ nails and a delicious meal as soon as the lockdown is lifted.
You can also purchase vouchers as birthday gifts for friends and family as well, if you want to support your suppliers without ending up with six pending haircut vouchers.
Support fundraisers
Many suppliers have turned to fundraising to help support their staff during this time. If you are able to, see which of your local suppliers are asking for donations to help staff and contribute what you can.
Shop online
Many exclusive clothing, jewellery and beauty product suppliers have online stores which are still accepting orders during this time, with the intention of delivering the purchased goods once lockdown has lifted. This means that you can shop for your favourite clothes, beauty products and accessories online to continue to support these suppliers - and you'll get to enjoy your new items as soon as the lockdown is over. Once the lockdown is lifted , continue to support these local suppliers rather than going back to buying products from bigger chains, to ensure that they are able to stay up and running.
Purchase groceries for families in need
Certain essential service suppliers, such as Farm Fresh Direct are offering their customers the option to buy fresh produce boxes, frozen meals, cleaning products and grocery hampers on behalf of those who are less fortunate. This means that you can purchase your groceries, as well as groceries to feed a family in need - thus providing your supplier with much needed extra support and helping feed a family who may be going hungry during this challenging time - a win-win situation.
These times are exceptionally challenging for all of us, as we remain cooped up in our homes, and it can be easy to forget about our favourite suppliers and small businesses as we process the mountain of COVID-19 information we receive on a daily basis. It is exceptionally important, however, that we support these suppliers to the best of our abilities during the lockdown as well as after the lockdown, to ensure they survive and stay open so that we can still enjoy their products and services when things eventually return to normal.
At Hamilton's we provide distinct and specialised property services when managing your property portfolio, click here https://www.hamiltons.co.za/our-story/ to find out more about our story.
Read our previous article here: https://www.hamiltons.co.za/news/leisure-isle-landmark-listing/
Subscribe to our newsletters: https://www.hamiltons.co.za/newsletter/
Contact Hamilton's Property Portfolio for all your buying or selling requirements:
Johannesburg (Head Office): 011 463 0155
Cape Town: 021 418-0328 or
Email to reception@hamiltons.co.za or admin@hamiltons.co.za
Author: Lisa