South Africa’s online farm-produce marketplace HelloChoice is now reaching over 2,300 agricultural produce buyers and sellers. They have joined HelloChoice via its website and mobile app, trading over R150 million in the first three years.
The marketplace aims to modernise the traditional buying and selling of agricultural products such as vegetables, fruits, meat, dried beans and grains.
HelloChoice also announced today an upgraded and enhanced version of the mobile app, bringing new features for both buyers and sellers.
Responding to buyers’ needs to get the latest and up-to-date real-time offers as soon as they are available, the updated mobile app allows users to buy from anywhere, anytime. The latest app ensures better market access and prices for farmers, and faster product access and lower prices for buyers.
“HelloChoice is digitising agricultural trade to make buying and selling effective and efficient. Our new TradeAlerts mobile app feature is a great example of this, as the user can set their own specific trade preferences and get In-app messages and emails when trade opportunities meeting their requirements become available,” HelloChoice’s Grant Jacobs explains.
“They can immediately find and buy according to their needs, with all relevant information available immediately on their phone, and better still, conclude the trade right there and then.”
Using geolocation and customer profiles to better connect buyers and sellers, TradeAlerts is a brand new and game-changing feature that notifies buyers when fresh produce is available. These instant alerts speed up the buying and selling process, while the Buy-it-Now marketplace is still available on the mobile app.
Existing HelloChoice users shared their excitement about this new feature: “HelloChoice is a great platform to find produce. The TradeAlerts feature is extremely exciting for us because we will now be able to find produce as and when farmers have it available – rather than having to manually search for what we are looking for.” Mohammed Mangerah – from Superb Stanger KZN.
“Thanks to the power of HelloChoice, I was able to source cabbages and potatoes in my area when all my local suppliers and farmers were out of stock. They were able to get me what I needed delivered to my shop as per my order. They continue to improve their service offering, platform and consistently deliver.” Daniel Verdann – Mr Potato in Umtata EC.
Last month, Standard Bank bought a 25% stake in HelloChoice.
“Standard Bank’s equity purchase in HelloChoice affirms the bank’s aspirations to play a broader role in the agriculture ecosystem,” says Standard Bank’s head of ecosystems, Wendy Pienaar.
HelloChoice launched the first version of the mobile app in September 2019. Earlier this year, they partnered with Standard Bank to upgrade it and include the OneFarm Share food relief and food security platform, matching food donations and special offers with the needs of registered charities countrywide.
HelloChoice is the first independent fresh produce trading platform with a broader ambition to promote economic prosperity and market efficiency for both buyers and sellers, and continues to improve the platform to bring their users more ease and value.
