Terms of service
The Village Pantry is a platform and distributor for a carefully selected community of small businesses, farmers, growers, bakers and artisans.
We endeavour to curate products based on quality, provenance and the way in which they are grown, raised or produced. While we work closely with our suppliers and encourage quality and consistency, individual products remain the responsibility of the supplier.
Should you wish to return a product or raise a concern, please contact us and we will liaise directly with the relevant supplier on your behalf. Returns and refunds are subject to the supplier’s discretion and our applicable refund policy.
Our Nature-Led™ Approach
At Village Pantry, we look beyond the label to understand how our food is actually produced.
We call this our Nature-Led™ approach.
Nature-Led™ describes the principles that guide how we select the farmers, growers and producers we work with.
Different foods require different farming and production methods, so our criteria differ across fresh produce, meat, dairy, eggs and pantry products. What remains consistent is our commitment to natural farming practices, responsible production, animal welfare, minimal unnecessary intervention, shorter supply chains and less waste.
Fresh Produce
Our fresh produce is sourced from local farms, gardens within Melkbosstrand and our Community Gardens wherever season and availability allow.
Our growers are carefully selected for both the quality of their produce and the way in which it is grown.
While not all of our farms and gardens are certified organic, our Nature-Led™ fresh produce is grown according to the following principles:
- No synthetic fertilisers
- No herbicides
- No synthetic pesticides
- Regenerative growing practices
- Sustainable soil preparation and a focus on soil health
- Minimal packaging
- Shorter supply chains and minimal food miles wherever possible
Our growers use natural soil inputs and growing methods including companion planting and natural growing mediums. Vegetation is cleared manually not with herbicides.
Where pest intervention is necessary, growers may use certified-organic pest-control products, including products from the Biogrow range, rather than synthetic pesticides. Companion planting, including wild garlic and marigolds, is also used to support natural pest management.
Some seasonal produce is grown in tunnels to extend growing periods.
We prioritise local produce, but Nature-Led™ does not mean exclusively Western Cape-grown. Where climate or season prevents something from being grown locally, selected produce may be sourced from trusted growers elsewhere in South Africa. This includes certain winter crops from KwaZulu-Natal and pineapples from the Eastern Cape.
Our priority remains the same: understanding how it was grown and shortening its journey wherever reasonably possible.
Dairy
Most of our dairy is sourced from Mysthill Farm, situated outside George at the foothills of the Outeniqua Mountains.
Ben and Mark have more than 75 years of combined farming experience and describe themselves as compassionate farmers, with a strong emphasis on raising their animals as naturally and freely as possible.
Mysthill is not certified organic, but its farming approach closely aligns with our Nature-Led™ philosophy.
Their dairy cows graze on lucerne and grass pastures and are milked only once a day rather than being pushed for maximum production.
Calves remain with and feed from their mothers during the day. They are separated overnight for milking the following morning and then reunited, continuing until approximately nine months of age when they are weaned.
For us, these are the details that matter when choosing where our food comes from.
Meat
We source meat from a number of farms and producers, and their farming methods are not all the same. Rather than applying a blanket claim across every product, we aim to tell you clearly how each is produced so that you can make an informed choice.
Mysthill Farm
Mysthill's chickens, ducks, sheep and pigs are allowed to roam and forage in grassy paddocks during the day and are safely penned at night to protect them from predators. Their products are raised and processed on the farm.
L.A Farms
Free-range and grass-fed animals. Halal.
LMA
Free-range.
Where a product has additional benefits — such as no added nitrates, minimal processing or specific animal-welfare practices — these are clearly stated on the individual product page.
Eggs
Our eggs come from a small local chicken farm in Ronderberg.
The hens are free-range, with access to outdoor space and Nature-Led™ greens during the day. Their diet is supplemented with corn, grains and wheat-based feed, and they are safely housed at night to protect them from predators.
Egg boxes can be returned to Village Pantry so that we can reuse them wherever possible.
Less Waste
Our responsibility doesn't end with how food is farmed.
From returnable bottles, jars and crates to minimal packaging and harvest-to-order produce, we look for practical ways to reduce unnecessary waste throughout the supply chain.
Recyclable packaging supplied by Village Pantry may be returned to us. Wherever possible, we clean and repurpose it before recycling becomes necessary.
We believe reuse should come before recycling.
Transparency Over Perfection
Creating a better food system isn't a perfect science.
Different foods require different farming and production methods, seasons affect where produce can be grown, and not every responsible farmer or small producer carries formal certification.
Our commitment is therefore not to apply a blanket label to everything we sell.
Instead, we aim to know where our food comes from, ask how it was produced and share that information honestly with you so you can decide for yourself.
Some of our products may be certified organic. Others are produced using farming practices that align closely with organic or regenerative principles without carrying certification.
Nature-Led™ is not a certification. It is the set of principles that guides the choices we make for Village Pantry.
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Order Process
Orders are processed twice weekly:
Tuesday Orders
Order by Monday at 8am for Tuesday delivery or collection.
Thursday Orders
Order by Wednesday at 8am for Thursday delivery or collection.
Orders received after the relevant 8am cut-off will automatically move to the next available order day.
Delivery
We currently offer the following delivery routes:
- Tuesday & Thursday: Melkbosstrand to Milnerton and surrounding areas
- Tuesday: Bellville
- Thursday: Durbanville
Delivery availability is subject to your delivery address.
Collection
Orders can be collected on Tuesdays and Thursdays from:
- Village Pantry, Melkbosstrand
- Nature’s Deli, Tableview
Current collection times are communicated on our website. Where an after-hours collection is requested without prior arrangement, a R50 administration fee may apply.
Payment & Collection
Orders must be paid before the applicable order cut-off. Unpaid orders may be cancelled.
Once an order has been processed, you remain liable for payment, including where an order is not collected.
Right to Supply Reserved
Village Pantry reserves the right to accept or decline an order at our discretion.
Should an order be cancelled by us, you will be notified and any payment due for refund will be handled in accordance with our Refund Policy.