This autumn will see the launch of a brand-new sustainable food retail and travel brand, CULTISAN. A digital and mobile platform on a mission to enable a global audience to discover, buy, learn from, travel to, meet and eat with the world’s best farmers and makers, curated by the chefs who love them, driving a new sustainable global food economy.
The brains behind Cultisan is British chef, restaurateur and food campaigner Jason Hartley, now based in Slovenia, who aims to give a voice to the hundreds of farmers, growers and producers he has met around the world throughout his career. Cultisan was inspired by his deep belief that ethical farming that is kind to the land and animals is the only sustainable way to produce delicious food, and the realisation that there are 570 million small scale and family-run farms in the world that still feed 70% of the planet on a daily basis.
Jason says, “This is about making it convenient for people to eat local, anywhere. I want people to discover and buy from the world’s greatest farmers and producers as easily as they buy from supermarkets, it’s about championing the cheesemakers, curers, fermenters, millers, charcutiers, oil and vinegar makers and more. This is about a new fair food system ensuring the survival of craft, knowledge and talent of generations of farmers, and about celebrating the innovators and creators of the food world, making sure they’re still here for future generations.”
Cultisan is a membership platform and anyone can become a member (further details below). The crowdfunding campaign will be launched on Wednesday 23rd September and will run for one month before the official launch in November.
There will be no easier way to curate a shopping basket than with Cultisan. At its core lies the principle of not charging farmers, makers or producers any money to be listed on the platform and ensuring they are paid a fair price for their produce. By purely seeking out the very best in the world, with the help of leading chefs, Cultisan is making ‘eating local, globally’ a reality.
Set to be the world’s largest directory, the farms are chosen by the Cultisan team and a handpicked group of chefs predominantly in Europe, but the team already has plans to grow into other continents in 2021. These chefs have the inside track to the very best farms, suppliers, vineyards, growers and more, and Cultisan is bringing this to the consumer for the first time.
Cultisan will provide a global platform to smaller, more remote artisans such as Andrew Gilhespy at Fresh Flour in Devon, who works closely with a network of local organic farmers to grow heritage grains which are milled using a traditional stone ground method and turned into exquisite quality flour. They also champion producers who are growing their business without compromise, such as Northern Irish husband and wife team Richard and Leona Kane whose Broighter Gold rapeseed oil is some of the purest across the whole United Kingdom.
Across Europe, other unique growers, producers and farmers will be given an online platform on Cultisan’s app and website including a multitude of organic vineyards and olive groves throughout Italy. Closer to home for Jason, undiscovered Slovenian producers will be accessible to a wider market, including goat farmer, Peter Gorišek whose small batch goat’s cheese is stuffed with Istrian truffle and other more modern and innovative producers such as David Lesar’s biodynamic salami.
Cultisan has created local hubs on farms in regions across Europe and aggregates local produce before sending it to its logistic and fulfilment centres where it is packed and shipped to the consumer. Cultisan is dedicated to creating as sustainable a supply chain as possible, never shipping fresh food across borders and only moving foods between countries if a product offers something different and appealing to a consumer in that market.
Cultisan is enabling the public to shop, have delivered to their door and eat the very best produce local to them, and from further-afield. Cultisan will also offer unique food adventures that will make it possible for people to travel, meet, learn and eat with the finest farmers, makers and chefs whilst exploring new culinary cultures.
CROWDFUNDING Ahead of the launch of Cultisan in November, there is an opportunity to be part of the development and growth of the brand by joining the Kickstarter application. Cultisan is a membership platform. The membership being just £10 a month, or £120 a year (annual subscriptions receive free shipping). The 30 day Kickstarter will offer a range of pledges including annual membership discounts locked in for life, such as a first day only £75 offer including a tasting pack of products and a designer Tote bag, Kickstarter memberships of £95 and the chance for EU consumers to pre-buy memberships for when Cultisan open in their country from January 2021. There is also an opportunity to enjoy a private dinner party hosted by Cultisan founder Jason Hartley as well as the chance for a group of 4 to join him on an exclusive food adventure to Slovenia next year. |
