There are moments in the life of a small business that feel like standing at the top of a very long hill, looking out at everything ahead, and thinking — yes. This is exactly where we're supposed to be going.
We're in one of those moments right now.
It's not loud yet. It doesn't have a launch date stamped on it or a perfectly curated announcement reel. It's more of a feeling — the particular kind of energy that builds when a lot of things you've been quietly working on start coming together at the same time. When threads you've been weaving separately suddenly start to form a picture.
We want to share that feeling with you. Because honestly? You're the reason any of it is happening.
So pull up a chair. There's quite a bit to say.
The Macadamia Oil Is Back. You're Welcome.
Let's start with the news we know many of you have been waiting for.
The macadamia oil is back in stock.
We'll give you a moment with that.
For those of you who've been messaging us, refreshing the store page with the quiet determination of someone who refuses to give up — we see you, we appreciate your loyalty more than you know, and we are very pleased to report that the wait is over. It's here. It's cold-pressed, it's as good as it's always been, and it will, inevitably, go quickly. So if you know, you know — and now you should go.
For those who haven't tried it yet and are wondering what all the fuss is about: the short version is that macadamia oil is one of the most nutritionally impressive cooking oils you can put in your kitchen, it's largely produced right here in South Africa, and it has a smoke point high enough to handle proper cooking without breaking down into something your body would rather you hadn't eaten. The longer version is worth reading — and we've written it up for you elsewhere. For now, just know: it's back, it's good, and it belongs in your kitchen.
New Products Are Coming — No, We're Not Ready to Say Which Ones Yet
We know. We know. That's the worst kind of sentence to read — something exciting is coming, details to follow, please remain patient.
But here's the thing. We want to do this properly. We want the first time you see these new products to feel like something, not like a rushed reveal we've jumped ahead of. We're adding to our range in a way that genuinely reflects what we believe in — quality ingredients, honest sourcing, real food that does something good for you. These aren't fillers. They're not trend-chasing. They're the kind of additions that, once they're part of your weekly shop, you'll struggle to remember what you did without them.
More soon. Watch this space with the same energy you gave the macadamia oil refresh.
The Store Is Getting a Full Redesign
And while we're at it — the whole store is getting a makeover.
We've grown. You've grown with us. And the current look, while it served us well, no longer quite feels like who we are or where we're headed. So we're rebuilding it.
Expect it to be cleaner. Easier to navigate. More reflective of the values behind everything we stock. We want every corner of it to feel like Matumi — considered, warm, and completely worth your time.
We're not giving you a date yet because we'd rather take the time to get it right than rush it to meet a deadline. But it's coming. And when it does, we think you'll feel the difference.
The Loyalty Programme — Because You Deserve More Than a Thank You
Here is something we believe very firmly: the people who show up for a small business again and again deserve to be rewarded properly. Not with a vague sense of our gratitude — though that is very real — but with something tangible.
That's what the loyalty programme is for.
If you haven't explored it yet, now is genuinely the right time. Every purchase you make earns you something back. It's our way of saying that we notice, that we remember, and that your support of what we're building here doesn't go unacknowledged.
Shopping with intention is its own kind of act. Choosing a small business over a giant retailer, choosing quality over convenience, choosing to care about where your food comes from — that matters. We want to make sure it feels like it matters to you too.
Go have a look. You may have more waiting for you there than you realise.
The Small Businesses We Work With — And the Ones We're Still Looking For
One of the most quietly meaningful parts of building Matumi has been the relationships we've built with other small businesses along the way. People who are doing what we're doing — working with their hands and their hearts, caring about what they put out into the world, choosing the harder, better path.
We're growing that circle.
We are currently in conversations with some truly wonderful people, and we can't wait to introduce them to you properly. There will be more news on that soon — and when we share it, we think you'll understand immediately why we're so excited.
What we can say now is this: if you're a small business owner reading this, or if you know someone who is — someone whose products align with what we stand for, someone doing good work that more people should know about — we want to hear from you. Community doesn't happen by accident. It's built on purpose, one good relationship at a time. Our inbox is open.
The Charities We Support — And the Ones You'll Tell Us About
Giving back is not an afterthought for us. It never has been.
We have some wonderful charitable partnerships in place, and there is more news coming on that front — partnerships we're proud of, causes that matter, work being done in the world that deserves more support and more light shone on it. We'll share all of it in detail very soon.
But here's where we want to involve you, because this feels important: we are actively looking to expand who we give back to, and we'd love for that decision to come — at least in part — from this community.
Is there a charity close to your heart? An organisation doing work that you believe in, that perhaps doesn't get the attention it deserves? A cause that reflects what you think South Africa most needs right now?
Tell us. Genuinely. Drop it in the comments, send us a message, find us on social media and slide into our DMs with no preamble whatsoever — we are completely here for it. We can't support everything, but we want to support the right things. And you help us know what those are.
Why We're Telling You All of This
We could, technically, have waited. Announced each thing separately, drip-fed the news, built a little suspense around every update. That's what you're supposed to do, apparently.
But that's not how we want to do this.
This community was built on honesty and warmth and the sense that you're not just buying things from us — you're part of something. And when something is stirring, when there's a real feeling of momentum and purpose and we're going somewhere good in the air, the right thing to do is share it.
So consider this our way of saying: things are moving. Good things. The kind of things that come from a lot of quiet work and a very clear sense of what we want Matumi to be.
We're not doing any of this without you. We don't want to. The whole point — the loyalty programme, the new products, the redesigned store, the small businesses we champion, the charities we support all of it is built around the idea that this isn't just a shop. It's a community. And communities move forward together.
So come with us. We'd love the company.
From all of us at Matumi — thank you for being here. The best is genuinely still ahead.
