Growing up near the coast, cousins Rowan Delport and Juan Rabe were interested in aquaculture, so they decided to study biological sciences at Nelson Mandela University in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape.
However, during their first year at university, they got hooked on plant sciences and ended up doing their honors in plant physiology. As a result, they went into hydroponics instead. The decision was driven by their realization that under-cover hydroponic crop farming required less land, implying lower debt levels to start with, than a conventional crop farm.
"High farm prices make it near impossible for new entrants like us to buy a conventional farm and then make a living from it," explains Rabe. To prepare for their venture, the two went to work on a hydroponic farm in Israel for three months to gain production experience. They also did a lot of market research. "We asked numerous potential clients what they would be prepared to buy from us. Only two were willing to take a chance on us, but having two clients was better than being stuck with produce that had nowhere to go," says Delport.
To keep costs low, they started out producing herbs, leafy greens, and other vegetables on rented land, first using 'scrap material' to build their infrastructure and later renting infrastructure. They did all the work themselves and did not draw salaries for two years. "Every cent we made was reinvested in the business. We lived off our produce and fish we caught in the sea," says Rabe.
When the business outgrew the rental space, they bought a 2,5ha plot in Sardinia Bay. "My aunt, Cherine Smith, heard the owner wanted to sell a portion of the land, and it was perfect for us because it was near the space we rented, our biggest clients, and Gqeberha," he adds.
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