Our Paarl Story Since 2011
Cumato began in Paarl in 2011 with a simple idea: make preserves that are easy to use in real kitchens, from weekday supper to a table full of guests. We work with local farm produce from across South Africa, then prepare each batch in the Western Cape with attention to flavour, texture and consistency.
Our customers include home cooks, caterers, hospitality buyers and people putting together gifts for weddings, staff functions or seasonal celebrations. From Cape Town to Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban and Gqeberha, the same aim stays in place, to give people preserves that are ready for the pantry and useful in the kitchen.
Over the years the range has grown, but the way we work has stayed practical. We keep close to the ingredients, plan around supply from farms and make sure orders are handled carefully from first enquiry to courier handover.
What We Make and How It Fits in the Kitchen
Our range centres on sun-dried tomato and pickle preserves, made for everyday cooking as well as entertaining. These are the sort of products that can sit beside roast chicken, grilled vegetables, cheese platters, sandwiches, braais and lunch boxes. They also help when you need a quick flavour boost without starting from scratch.
We think about how people actually use preserves at home. A spoonful can add depth to a sauce, brighten a salad, or round out a tray of snacks. For a caterer or guesthouse kitchen, they need to be easy to portion and reliable when orders are tight. That is the standard we work to.
- Suitable for home pantries and busy kitchen prep
- Useful for gifting, catering and plated service
- Easy to pair with breads, meats, cheeses and vegetables
- Made in a range that suits both small orders and bulk supply
How We Source Farm Produce Responsibly
We source from local farms because good preserves start with good produce. Our buying process is built around seasonal availability, crop quality and straightforward communication with growers. That keeps the work practical and helps us stay close to the ingredients we use.
South African farming conditions can change quickly, especially with weather shifts, water pressure and transport timing. We plan around that reality by keeping our sourcing flexible and by working with farm partners who understand quality and consistency. This matters whether the product is going into a gift box, a wedding order or regular hospitality supply.
Working with farm produce also keeps our range grounded in the places where it is grown. The flavours may travel, but the source stays local, which is something we value in every order we send out.
The People Behind the Jars
Cumato is led by Marius van der Merwe, with a team that handles production, sourcing, sales, courier fulfilment, recipe development and customer care. Each person has a clear role, and that helps the business stay organised when orders come in for different needs and timeframes.
Lindiwe Ndlovu oversees production, Jaco Smit manages farm sourcing, Ayesha Khan handles sales coordination, Thabo Molefe supervises courier fulfilment, Marli Botha leads recipe development and Siphesihle Dlamini looks after customer care. It is a small team, but each part matters. When a client asks for a mixed hamper or a stockist enquiry comes through, there is someone who knows exactly what needs to happen next.
- Clear roles from sourcing to dispatch
- Personal attention for corporate and private orders
- Hands-on quality checking during preparation and packing
- Direct communication through our contact page enquiry form
How We Handle Orders, Packing and Delivery
We supply customers across South Africa through courier delivery, with regular service into Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Gqeberha, Stellenbosch and Somerset West. That includes online orders, seasonal requests, subscription boxes, stockist enquiries and larger bulk orders for events or hospitality buyers.
Packing matters just as much as the product itself. Jars and gift packs need to travel well, especially during warmer months or when parcels pass through several sorting points. We pack with that in mind so the order arrives ready for the shelf, pantry or gift table. In a country where load-shedding and courier delays can affect timing, proper planning makes a difference.
For wedding orders, event favours and corporate gifting, we also work to the brief and the schedule. Some clients want a neat, simple presentation, while others need custom hampers for year-end functions or client gifts. We keep the process practical, with enough flexibility to meet the order without making it complicated.
Values That Guide the Way We Work
Our values are simple and they shape the day-to-day running of the business. We want to source carefully, make consistently and treat every order with respect. That means paying attention to ingredient quality, using sensible kitchen practice and communicating clearly when a client has a question or a deadline.
We also value local supply chains. Supporting South African agriculture matters to us because it keeps the work connected to real farms and real people. It also helps us stay responsive to changing seasons, supply volumes and the practical demands of food production in this part of the country.
People come to Cumato for preserves, but they stay because the process feels straightforward. No fuss, no guesswork and no overcomplication, just dependable products and service that makes sense for how South Africans cook, gift and buy for their homes and businesses.
- Practical food supply for homes and businesses
- Respect for local farms and seasonal produce
- Careful packing for courier transport across South Africa
- Consistent service from first enquiry to final dispatch