Farm-to-Kitchen Logistics

Direct distribution systems connecting agricultural producers with end consumers or food service operators, bypassing traditional wholesale intermediaries. This model requires coordinated cold chain logistics from harvest through final delivery, maintaining quality while capturing margin typically lost to middlemen. For farmers, direct access provides better prices and market certainty; for consumers, it offers freshness, traceability, and often cost savings. In South Africa, farm-to-kitchen logistics faces infrastructure challenges but offers significant opportunities, particularly connecting Free State livestock producers and Eastern Cape agriculture with urban markets. Technology platforms enabling order aggregation and route optimization make direct distribution increasingly viable.