Take an adventure and say hello to halaal
FOR years, one of Fehmida Jordaan and her family’s favourite pastimes was to explore the different tastes and flavours that Joburg, a hub of cultural diversity, has to offer.
Jordaan, who considers herself an avid foodie with a somewhat adventurous palate, with her husband and two young daughters, spent much of their free time in the pursuit of delicious cuisine.
While this Muslim family enjoys the Indian halaal dishes they grew up with, they were determined to take their taste buds on a new adventure.
“There’s got to be more available than just the typical briyani, samoosas and curries,” Jordaan says.
During their quest they visited many of Joburg’s markets and even tried to see what halaal options were available at the many food trucks that have popped up around the city.
But despite their appetite for variety, the family would often be left wanting. “We eat strictly halaal and when we go to markets we look at all the food that is available, but we end up eating at that one place that serves halaal food,” she explains.
She realised that the city’s diversity did not necessarily apply to all religions and their diet. Then, fate intervened.
“I read an article about missing an opportunity in this halaal food market and I was speaking to a friend about this in that very same week.”
She considered this coincidence as the “universe intervening” and contemplated establishing an eatery where people from all walks of life could come together and enjoy a range of halaal cuisines.
Jordaan already had an office job but was looking for a way to make extra money. She had started a mocktail business, which she operated in her spare time, so being an entrepreneur was not completely new to her.
“You start small business to meet financial ends, and expenses go higher but salaries don’t,” she explained.
Jordaan, her husband and about six other people worked together to form the Halaal Goods Market (HGM), the first artisanal halaal food and design market in South Africa.
“We didn’t want it to be a typical flea market. It needed to be something interesting that showcased the types of foods that people can eat, but it had to be all halaal.
“We wanted to display typical South African flavours because we have such a diverse community. We don’t realise that with halaal you can get Indian, Mediterranean, Arabian and even sushi.
“There are so many halaal options but there wasn’t a market where all of this was available, and that’s one of the main reasons we started HGM.”
The market is held bi-quarterly, with thousands of people attending over the course of two days.
Despite the emphasis on halaal, which is free from any component that Muslims are prohibited from consuming according to Islamic law, HGM wanted to cater to all races and religions.
“We have specifically said that the market serves strictly halaal but its open to all.”
Customers don’t only enjoy typical halaal food but also Turkish food, braai meat, experimental and fusion cuisines, dessert as well as non-alcoholic beverages, in accordance with Islamic law.
Some of the most popular dishes include Krispy Kreme burgers, lobster rolls and a range of other seafood, as well as cake in a jar and a selection of other sweet treats.
Apart from the food aspect of the market, there is also modest and non-modest wear for women, car shows for men and a supervised play area for the children, which is all overseen by security guards who patrol the market.
HGM might be in its infancy but Jordaan tells how it has grown in “leaps and bounds” since the first market was held in July 2017 in Kramerville, Sandton.
“The first market was our best and most disastrous one. We were the victims of our own success. The problem was that we knew people wanted to come but we didn’t know how many.”
Jordaan relocated HGM to The Fox Junction in Ferreirasdorp. “Our venue now is four times the size of that first market, excluding the eating areas.”
Another reason Jordaan was insistent on this venue was that she wanted it to be accessible to all Joburgers.
“Joburg is everyone’s city and the building itself is 100 years old. It has history and heritage and I feel like we’re making new history, which feels amazing.”
Another vital foundation of HGM is the importance of supporting small and local businesses. For this reason, vendors who want to showcase their food or other goods need to apply to be at the market.
Some vendors might be regulars at every market while others are alternated to give fresh talent a chance to showcase their meals.
Jordaan and her committee meticulously decide who meets their requirements of a small, locally owned businesses who will offer HGM something different.
“The biggest thing with the market is that we want to showcase small businesses that can meet the halaal requirements and can become viable businesses in South Africa. They are the ones who grow our economy and employ people.”
While big food franchises do apply to exhibit at HGM, they are often turned away in favour of its support for small business.
“We would like to see more businesses start off at the market and then they end up getting stocked in a retail store somewhere and eventually opening their own store.”
While HGM does feature international vendors, most are local.
“I think that we underestimate the market potential in South Africa because we keep looking overseas and forgetting that we actually have all the potential right here.
“Why haven’t we capitalised on the fact that we have our own culture right here in South Africa?
“We have the South African spirit of wanting to support each other. We have the buy local, buy lekker (campaign) but it’s almost like we don’t trust ourselves to make our own food.
“It’s like we have to bring in a franchise from somewhere overseas for it to be a success but we don’t, we actually need to believe in ourselves more because the market is right here in South Africa.”
While some might question the prices of the food and goods available at HGM, she argues they need to consider that local, small businesses often have more challenges than franchises or more established brands.
“People misunderstand when they see the market. They think it’s a flea market and it’s cheap but it’s an artisanal market where you can support a small business whose literally using the money they make to pay for things like school fees and electricity.”
Jordaan also wants HGM to be a platform for people to socialise and enjoy a day out.
“We wanted a place where people can just go out and socialise and that’s why we have big seating areas. We lump the tables together and we did this very strategically because we don’t want people to just sit alone or with their families, we want them to enjoy their meals together.”
Almost two years since they opened their doors, HGM has continued to improve. They have also become more aware of their environmental impact.
Vendors are encouraged to be more environmentally friendly by limiting plastic straws and opting for steel ones and using brown paper bags or biodegradable packaging instead of polystyrene.
Jordaan hopes that she has done her part in promoting the variety of halaal food in South Africa as well as being instrumental in supporting small, locally owned businesses.
“I want the market to be known as the place to come and hang out, eat, socialise and support small businesses.”