HelloChoice is a fresh produce trading platform founded in 2018 by Grant Jacobs and Graeme Jarvie with the objective of modernising the conventional farm produce purchasing and selling procedure. It has over 2,000 users and has transacted over ZAR 100 million (US $6.8 million) to far.
In 2020, HelloChoice has been asked to join Standard Bank’s OneFarm Share hunger alleviation and food security programme. OneFarm Share connects hunger relief requests with additional fresh produce from emerging farmers, commercial farms, and food processors, resulting in a total supply and distribution of 3,200 tonnes of healthy meals for underprivileged children and communities.
Standard Bank has invested in HelloChoice in exchange for a 25% stock share in the company, after the success of that collaboration.
“The strategic investment will help us to further fund ongoing tech investment and operational capacity, as we leverage our complementary offerings and strengths to deliver more innovative services and solutions to customers in South Africa and across our continent,” said Jacobs.
“Standard Bank’s equity purchase in HelloChoice affirms the bank’s aspirations to play a broader role in the agriculture ecosystem, and forms part of the wider ecosystem strategy, which houses OneFarm and OneFarm Share,” said the bank’s head of ecosystems Wendy Pienaar.
