The Covid-19 pandemic has forced many businesses to close their doors due to lack of funding and limited events due to lockdown restrictions.
One such business is Extreem Kwizeen based in Observatory. In April 2020 the company launched Extreme Soupathon by chef Wynand du Plessis to help alleviate hunger and supply vulnerable people with a nutritious plant-based soup daily. He had successfully run Extreem Kwizeen for 20 years.
Due to lack of funding it had to close the soupathon in December last year Du Plessis said.
“At the end of December our international funding to run the soup kitchen had come to an unfortunate end. Then it was only Extreem Kwizeen. We stopped producing soup, but there was no work coming our way with Covid-19 uncertainty.”
Since it had launched Extreme Soupathon the company supplied more than 2 million meals across the metropole (“Two millionth cup of love”, People’s Post, 15 June 2021).
Du Plessis said it had made between 1 400 and 1 500 litres of soup per day and then froze it in 1-litre tubs overnight, which was then distributed to the various partner organisations.
But, he said, in December the country was hit by the forth wave and matters took a turn for the worse.
“We decided to close doors, rather than get ourselves into debt, at the end of December and see if there was any other venture we could look at. All the content and equipment were sold. Currently the property and its kitchens are up for sale.”
Du Plessis said the impact on beneficiaries and staff was devastating.
“This was a big impact on our beneficiaries; they used the soup brick in winter to prepare soup, and as it got summer they used the bricks as a flavouring ingredient when they made stews.
“We worked with a lot of casuals, and all full-time staff we had to let go. But we managed to find all our full-time staff work around Cape Town.”
Speaking to People’s Post in June last year, Du Plessis said Extreem Kwizeen’s monthly expenses were more than R700 000 to keep the kitchen running successfully. He said his electricity bill per month was about R45 000.
“For the first two quarters of 2022 we couldn’t foresee any major turnover that would keep the business alive, so we had to make a well-planned exit strategy.
“Extreem Kwizeen was a company that did big jobs in Cape Town for 600 to 2 000 people, catering for soccer games, cricket, but there was none of that happening.”
The chef said he was not sure what else was in store for him, but for now he is taking a much-needed break. “I am taking a bit of a sabbatical to see what I want to do with myself after 20 years. It’s sad, but now we are looking forward to the next thing.”
