Interview with Dom -Johnson Allen

 

DOM-JOHNSON ALLEN

 

Morning Cruise was joined on an amazing telephonic interview with Dom-Johnson Allen. As a successful businessman, Dom initially ran an emergency feeding project for communities in the Western Cape in 2020, but, Mr. Allen turned his focus on finding something more sustainable. After much deliberation and community consultation, this lead to the establishment of Backyard Farms, a sauce selling enterprise created with the sole intention of creating a sustainable business model for the upliftment of women in townships.

 

Dom immediately shared with us that he ran the project from the pedals kitchen in stellenbosh. During the course of 2020 he got to meet a lot of women who gave out the food to those who really needed it and that’s what drew him closer to these women because of their knowledge of what was hap[pening in the community and that’s how Backyard farms came about. Further into the interview, Dom mentioned that the shift from the feeding scheme to the farm was quite smooth and what makes them different from others is that they are a root for women and they teach them about seeds, farming and how to grow your own food

 

He shared that working with different partnerships is amazing and that he prefers making smaller partnerships with women that are passionate about gardening. Allen said that one of his partners that live in Gugulethu reached out to him and they went through to have a fabulous lunch on women’s day and he got to learn more about the culture and he is happy he can support these women especially during this month of august being women’s month.

 

Things to look forward to is that they have started a partnership with checkers to get these sauces into the stores. Due to the cost of living being quite high as well, many people are shopping local and supporting more local businesses that grow their own food. Dom added that the pressure was applied when the demand for food raised as covid hit and also now post covid-19.

 

Some of the challenges that the Backyard farm faces is that they are a small business and their challenges is that they need to flourish and grow and get publicity. The goal is to change people’s shopping habits from buying international sauces but rather look into supporting more local enterprises.

 

The new listing with wellness warehouses is one of the first national retailers and they are in 11 of their stores. It allows people to purchase these sauces from Durban, Joberg and also cape town. The main aim for the future is for the sauces to be in all stores for everyone to enjoy, and the dream is to have thousands of women grow their own produce and uplift them to make ends meet for their own families. 

Producer: Jamie-lee Fredericks

Presenter: Mkuseli Veto