Murat is the brains behind Ooooby Sydney. Murat’s story didn’t start with some grand epiphany (no fun in that anyway.) Rather, his passion was stumbled upon when trying to complete a university assignment for his business degree.
“We were asked to come up with a business plan around the idea of incorporating farmer’s markets into one of Australia’s leading shopping centre chains.” To anyone else this might sound relatively simple, but unfortunately as Murat recalls, it was anything but. “I realised how damaging the whole concept was. I was sitting there trying to make something so holistic and beautiful such as a farmer’s market, fit into a place that is strategically set up to merely make money and had no consideration for what the farmers are actually going through.” So, like any entrepreneurial extraordinaire, Murat saw a gap and strived to make a positive impact after exploring the many food related issues and delving into the life that farmer’s typically lead.
“After taking into account your time and fuel needed to get the food to your home around 70 per cent of the value of the food is sucked up by the supply chain. As a result, the farmer is typically paid less than one third of the retail value. This is just enough for a small-scale farmer to scrape by.”
“The reduced transport, handling, packaging, warehousing and merchandising costs of local food generally means a better deal for everyone in the supply chain, from the grower to the customer.” Everybody’s a winner, really. “By going local we help our own communities thrive, we create jobs and services, encourage innovation, diversity and make an ethical choice that is of benefit for our environment and the whole supply chain, including ourselves and our hardworking farmers.”
“A sustainable food system is one that views food as a human need rather than simply a commodity,” says Murat. As consumerism and our need for convenience continues to grow, it’s vital we continue to educate ourselves on the most effective way to live a sustainable life, and of course, have our farmer’s backs in the process.
From packing just twelve Ooooby orders in his living room, to delivering over seventy-six thousand boxes of fresh, sustainable and organic produce (the majority of which is locally sourced) to date, there’s no doubt Murat will continue to champion a future for us that’s local, sustainable and ethical.
Extract from an interview with 'Meet the People'