It has been a week of hope and a week of fear, yet we united to vote and bring about the change we want to see in our country. We share a vision of a country where our people are safe, have jobs, a home, and can feed and educate their families with dignity.
It is also a time to share good new stories of people and companies doing extraordinary things to make a difference and this week it gives us pride and pleasure to share our special story with you.
Once upon a time in 1998 a musician Kathleen Quillinan, needing extra money for opera singing lessons, started a side hustle selling baked and bottled goods at a local market. Clearly her sauces were delicious and Kathleen was courageous, as quickly thereafter ‘Pesto Princess’ could be found on the SPAR shelves in Cape Town. 25 years later the business is flourishing and employs 100 people who produce 22 tonnes of product each month, available at retail stores nationwide.
We all love a success story but herein lies a beautiful twist in tale. In 2017 Pesto Princess, founder Kathleen and Ladles of Love, founder Danny formed a partnership with purpose. The deal was struck and on a cold winters’ day the ‘Buy One Give One’ campaign went live. For every Pesto Princess soup sachet sold, a hot meal was donated to a person in need via Ladles of Love.
Would you believe, with her current cheque handover, R677,846 has been donated from Pesto Princess to Ladles of Love and as you are reading this story the tills are ringing somewhere with a soup sale that will bring Kathleen closer to the R1 million donation dream.
Photo: Danny and Kathleen share moments of mutual gratitude at special soup kitchen with Pesto Princess and Ladles of Love teams at the Dignity Kitchen.
When we asked an emotional Kathleen how she felt, she shared: I believe that business is a vehicle for good, which is why Pesto Princess is a #soulbusiness. People come first, and caring is the central value that informs all our business decisions. This ethos works for us, it is good for people, good for the planet, and good for profits”.
In 2024 our story of shared value is evolving to become a circular economy of compassion. It will work like this: Ladles of Love arranges to collect Pesto Princess factory food waste, this gets converted into compost for delivery to Spring Foundation urban farmers, who grow nutrient rich vegetables that are procured to make soups, these are in turn are sold and a meal is paid forward to a person in need by Ladles of Love.
Can you imagine the potential of doing business for good? We invite you to join us to talk partnering with purpose in our Love Activists’ Lounge at The Good Life Show to be hosted at CTICC2 this weekend. Heidi Warricker founder of the show also believes in shared values and has gifted not only R10 per show ticket, a complimentary stand but our lounge area too, furnished with love by a special partner, Chad Botha and his team at Inspire Rentals. (BUY YOUR TICKETS TO THE GOOD LIFE SHOW BELOW)
Let’s talk at The Good Life Show or reach out by return email,
With gratitude and appreciation,
Danny & The Ladles of Love Team ♥️
