Want to support local food producers and experience delectable taste bud sensations at the same time? Try buying direct, says entrepreneur and cheesemonger Sam Penny.
Sam lays out how the raging Australian bushfires of 2019/2020, which were quickly followed by the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns and shutdowns, took him and his business on a journey from small independent cheese distributor to a champion of e-commerce as a way to buy direct from small artisanal food producers whose tourist and cellar door customers had disappeared. Sam details multiple ways everyday consumers can buy directly from food producers, supporting their businesses, families, and local economies. Sam says that when you buy direct, you can eat great food and do good each time you shop.
Sam is a serial entrepreneur with a passion for making micro changes that have compounding benefits to individuals and communities. By day, Sam is the co-founder of Cheese Therapy, Australia’s largest artisan cheese retailer and champion of small producers. Cheese Therapy directly supports small artisan cheesemakers across Australia and sends cheese straight to your home. He is also a modern-day explorer. Before the sun comes up, he is usually preparing for his next epic adventure. Recently, Sam was the first person in the world to attempt to swim the English Channel in winter. Naturally, that ended with hyperthermia and a greater determination to see if this feat is possible. Sam holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) and a Masters of Business Administration.
Sam Penny
TEDx Speaker
Cheesemonger & Small Producer Champion
