Sumting Fresh
Saturdays at the Neighbourgoods Market, Braamfontein 9am - 3pm;
Sundays at the Fourways Farmers' Market 9am - 4pm;
79 Grant Avenue, Norwood, Wednesdays to Mondays.
Food trucks and gourmet street food is the democratisation of food. No longer do we have to rely on going to restaurants and hotels to eat good food.
We can now buy it from food trucks and stalls at markets, which strive to ensure they serve quality food that’s delicious and keeps us going back.
Sumting Fresh, owned by Hezron Louw and Andrew Leeuw, is one of those food trucks that serves gourmet quality food. Louw and Leeuw have made a success of their food business, which they founded in 2012 and started operating from a food trailer in Midrand. They went the lifestyle and farmers market route and festivals, steadily building their brand and reputation.
Five years later, they are one of Joburg’s top food companies.
“We started the company with R60 000 from friends and family. We would never have been able to open a restaurant, which needs more than R6 million.
“Food trucks are a big trend globally. There has been almost a levelling of the playing field, where restaurants are being inspired by street food and having to play catch up with our food.”
Food trucks make food more accessible, and allow people to try out food they generally wouldn’t find at many restaurants.
“Food is all about experiences. I love that we get to experience part of each other’s cultures through the food served by food trucks and street stalls. It opens us up to new ways of seeing and enjoying it.”
While not every city has a thriving market scene or food truck culture, Louw says he expects it to keep growing.
“We will soon see people not being wary of trying food from trucks. While some are still closed off to the idea of getting gourmet food from a truck, we are starting to see a culture of trust with our patrons, where they realise we serve delicious gourmet food, cheaper than at a restaurant.”
READY TO FLY: From left Devina Dawkinum, Ronnie Nemukula, Noli Mini, Hezron Louw and Nicole Msibi have been named as finalists in the Tsogo Sun Entrepreneurs of the Year Awards 2017 at The Pivot Montecasino. Picture: Dimpho Maja
And because of this, Louw, who also co-presents SABC 3’s Tyres and Braaiers with Nik Rabinowitz, has been nominated as a finalist of Tsogo Sun’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017.
Louw says even if he doesn’t win, it’s great to be recognised as one of the top entrepreneurs in the country. “It’s a true honour, and forces us to be even better at running our business and serving our patrons amazing food.”