Bridget McNulty

Creating opportunity, one bite at a time.

// June 18th, 2010 // Cape Town, Inspiration

That’s the tagline for Khayelitsha Cookies, the COOKIE FACTORY I visited this morning. Yip, you read it right. I went to a cookie factory this morning. Yes, it did smell like heaven mixed with oxygen. Yes, there were slabs of brownies being cut up. Yes, I did see rolls and rolls of cookies being sliced up and rolled out and cut out and and and…

It was terribly exciting.

But it was also, believe it or not, for a good cause. Khayelitsha Cookies was started as an outreach program for previously unemployed, unskilled single mothers in Khayelitsha (a township in Cape Town). The company hires these sole breadwinners, trains them in baking, packing and other skills, and together makes the most delicious cookies (and brownies like I’ve never tasted before. Ever.)

Everything is handmade, but I mean hand.made. Cookies individually rolled out and cut. Hand-whisked batter. Chocolate shaved off for the chocolate chunk cookies, instead of just using chocolate chips. They use the freshest locally produced ingredients, their hygiene standards are exceptionally high (they wash their hands every half an hour!) and the atmosphere in the factory is joyful and family-like. Best of all, not only are the ladies now employed and supporting their families, they also collectively own over 25% of the company. Incredible!

Find out all about them, and read some of the ladies’ testimonials, at http://khayelitshacookies.co.za/

And buy their cookies! They’re selling at Pick n Pays in the Western Cape for only R10 a box (cheaper than mass-produced preservative-rich cookies!) and you can ask your local store to stock them too

How cool is the box design? How much do you love this company? (This much, she says, spreading her arms wiiiide).