The Wilderness Foundation’s Green Leaf Catering Unit is thriving in a difficult economic climate. Set up as a social enterprise development project, the catering unit has seen a fantastic increase in catering jobs over the last two months.
Word has gotten out about the Green Leaf Catering Unit’s excellent food and impeccable service. Orders are flooding in from around Port Elizabeth, with at least one event being catered for every day.
The latest figures show that catering events increased by 280% in February. The team catered for a total of 38 functions during the month as compared to 10 the previous year. They also had an exceptional month in March, catering a total of 53 functions – a record to date!
The Green Leaf Catering Unit is one of the Wilderness Foundation’s most successful Social Enterprise Development projects, and is an extension of its award-winning Umzi Wethu hospitality training programme.
Following the economic crisis a few years ago, the Foundation realised the need to encourage entrepreneurship in its graduates, so that they could provide sustainable livelihoods for themselves in the future.
The catering unit was established three years ago, and employs only Umzi Wethu hospitality graduates, mentoring them in entrepreneurship and business skills. The idea is for the graduates to gain valuable experience in the industry, and then open up their own businesses in the future.
The Green Leaf Catering Unit offers a full range of services, for all types of functions including menu planning, high quality meal catering and event management.
According to Green Leaf Catering Unit coordinator, Jean Rigby, the reason for this dramatic increase is that once-off clients have become regulars. “They have been extremely satisfied with our performance, and keep calling us to do their events. We’re building a great reputation in the city.”
Rigby also notes that the size of functions have increase. “Where we used to cater for small groups of up to ten, we’re now catering for large events of up to 150 people. We’re doing breakfast buffets, business lunches, and a large number of finger-food events.”
Two Umzi Wethu graduates, Kelly Rensburg and Desiree Seister make up the core staff in the catering unit, and are overseen by Megan Kroutz, head chef and kitchen coordinator. They are supported by Green Leaf Café employees and chefs when bookings are busy.
“I’m so proud of how Kelly and Desiree have turned this opportunity into a great success,” says Rigby. They are calm, collected and confident in their ability to pull off any event with style. They have really taken their Umzi Wethu experience, and turned it into a sustainable investment into their own futures. This is exactly what we love to see from our graduates.”
Umzi Wethu Hospitality graduates, Kelly Rensburg and Desiree Seister preparing for their next catering event by the Green Leaf Catering Unit
