STAFF COVID-19 SUPPORT DONATIONS

R100.00

A fund to assist Origin team members during the COVID-19 crisis and in particular during the lockdown period.

Note that you can edit the amount above. Any contribution is appreciated.

Our single origin coffees are all packed into 250g bags straight from the roaster. For optimal freshness, if you select 1kg of a single-origin coffee, it will be shipped as 4x250g bags.  
Our blends and decaf are packed into both 250g and 1kg bags. 

The COVID-19 crisis and lockdown period are having a massive impact on small- to medium-businesses across South Africa, and particularly on those in the hospitality industry like Origin. We continue to roast and deliver beans via our online store to people who want to make great coffee at home. However, our cafes, which employ the majority of our staff, remain completely shut down for now. Furthermore, almost all of our wholesale roasting customers – cafes, restaurants and other businesses – are similarly affected. We expect severe disruption to our industry to continue for the next few months.

The government department dealing with the UIF temporary retrenchment benefit seems to be overwhelmed. As at May 4th, only 4 of our 29 staff have received the promised funds for the period March 26 – April 30th. We hope that these issues will be resolved asap. As yet we are also unsure as to whether we will qualify for the R200 billion government-backed SMME loan scheme, nor how long the process may take.

We have always believed that the Origin team is a family. Our objective over these last 15 years has been for our customers to feel like part of this family and to treat Origin as their 2nd home.

I am sure that you are overwhelmed with the needs within your own families, and across your friends and communities. Each must contribute in the ways they feel are best.

That said, if our staff have particularly touched you and you wish to make a donation to them, it would be much appreciated. Even a small contribution can make a meaningful difference to their well-being during this time. My intention is to pay out funds weekly to our staff, and to divide all donated funds raised evenly across the team. Please feel free to donate whatever amount you wish.

All the best for this challenging time.

 

Joel Singer – Owner & General Manager

& the Origin team – Aluniya, Bothwell, Christopher, Collins, Donald, Harry, Hayley, Hilda, Jefferson, Jordan, Jorge, Larna, Lee-Ann, Lukin, Lyvonia, Michael, Mirriam, Neil, Neli, Nigel, Prudence, Remona, Rodney, Sean, Michael, Themba, Tinashe, Waqaar, Willem and Zoe.