BREAKING NEW GROUND

Vertical Veg

Marcelle Warner

STARTUP COSTS: ‘All I had was my retainer from a maintenance contract with the Westin Hotel, an old industrial sewing machine and a lot of ideas.’

TURNOVER: ‘Initially, we did quite well, then hit a dip, then changed tactics and did okay; then the drought in Cape Town knocked us; we tried to recover, then hit another dip; then Covid-19 arrived… and we did brilliantly! Now I employ three to five people (depending on the need), two of whom are full-time machinists.’

With a background in natural medicine and zoology and a strong sense of advocacy for the benefits of growing your own food, it seemed almost inevitable that Marcelle would create the innovative design that forms the basis of her business Vertical Veg: a ready-to-use space-saving pocket planter that can