GEORGE NEWS - Former George entrepreneur and social impact innovator Carl van Blerk, founder of Food Sock Meals and Heartfelt Foods, has been named the national entrepreneur of the year 2026 by the IMM Institute at a recent gala awards evening held in Johannesburg.
Van Blerk started the Food Sock Meals initiative in George in 2023, where it remains headquartered and continues to operate, although he has since relocated to Cape Town.
The awards evening brought together leading figures from the South African business community to celebrate excellence in entrepreneurship, innovation, leadership and social impact.
Van Blerk received the award in recognition of his entrepreneurial journey and the rapid growth of Food Sock Meals, a proudly South African business producing affordable, convenient, shelf-stable meal solutions designed to improve access to food for families, communities, relief organisations and feeding programmes.
Founded with a vision of combining convenience, affordability and dignity in food security, Food Sock Meals has grown into a nationally recognised brand with expanding international interest.
Through innovative product development and scalable distribution models, the company has positioned itself in both the commercial retail market and the humanitarian food support sector.
In addition to Food Sock Meals, Van Blerk also leads Heartfelt Foods, a social impact initiative supporting feeding schemes, disaster relief efforts and community nutrition programmes across South Africa through partnerships with NGOs, corporates and charitable organisations.
“This award is not just a personal achievement,” Van Blerk said.
“It represents the incredible journey of our entire team, our partners, our shareholders, and every person who believed in the vision of creating practical food solutions that can truly make a difference in people’s lives. We are passionate about building a business that is commercially sustainable while also creating meaningful social impact.”
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