In this episode, we speak with Freek Wessels from Johnny Cashew and Maria Verschoof from Mama Cashew.

Johnny Cashew was founded by Hayo de Feijter and Roel van de Weijer with one clear goal: to create a fairer future for everyone who plants, harvests, and processes cashew nuts.

Johnny’s story started on a beer coaster. Back in 2020, our founder Hayo de Feijter sketched out the very first idea for Johnny Cashew on a beer coaster. Soon after, he brought in his business partner and longtime friend Roel van de Weijer to crunch the numbers. Roel’s superpower? Using Excel to prove why something can’t be done. This time, he couldn’t. In 2022, Freek Wessels joined Johnny Cashew as investor and Cashew Captain — and the rest is history.

Together with partners on the ground, Johnny Cashew now works to process cashews locally in Tanzania — reducing unnecessary transport, cutting emissions, and ensuring that more value stays in the country of origin. By collaborating with farmers and their sister company Mama Cashew, they contribute to fair incomes and meaningful jobs across the value chain.

In this episode, we hear from both Freek and Maria as they share how they are building a more transparent, fair, and sustainable cashew industry — and what it takes to rethink an entire global value chain.

The Green Times is a media platform for the road to a new, sustainable economy and the role of entrepreneurship in shaping it.

Want to learn more about The Green Times? https://www.thegreentimes.eu

In this episode, we speak with Jackie Lebo from Content House. Content House is a creative collective that makes art, films, music and builds impact campaigns around them to respond to some of the most urgent issues facing us today.

They work in cultural heritage preservation, climate justice, social cohesion, sustainable livelihoods and narrative change. They believe in creating work that stands on its own, but can also serve as a powerful agent for change in our communities and beyond.

Content House empowers a new generation of artists and filmmakers from indigenous and traditional communities and enable them to showcase their work on national and global platforms.

In this episode, Jackie talks about the power of storytelling. She explains how Content House works with local artists and communities to bring stories to life and how content can drive real impact: from narrative change to social and environmental awareness.

Since launch, Content House has built a strong portfolio of documentaries, creative projects, and impact campaigns. Currently, the organization has 6 employees and a community of 40+ artists and collaborators, and operates in Kenya.

The Green Times is a media platform for the road to a new, sustainable economy and the role of entrepreneurship in shaping it.

Want to learn more about The Green Times? https://www.thegreentimes.eu

In this episode, we speak with Elmar from Africa Collect Textiles. An organization dedicated to turning textile waste into opportunity while creating social and environmental impact.

Africa Collect Textiles’ story started with a simple but powerful idea: what if discarded textiles could become a resource instead of waste? By collecting, sorting, and transforming used clothing and footwear, they give materials a second life — while creating jobs and reducing environmental impact.

Since launch, Africa Collect Textiles has built impressive impact: collecting over 299,083 kg of textiles, saving 1,824,409 kg of CO₂, and conserving 5.98 billion liters of water. At the same time, the organization has created 200+ jobs, contributing to fair and meaningful employment.

Currently, the organization has 21 employees and supports around 300 people indirectly through its ecosystem. Their mission is to build strong collection and recycling systems, raise awareness, and drive local innovation — while pushing for greater responsibility in the fashion industry.

In this episode, we explore how they work across the full value chain — from collection and hand-sorting to redistribution, upcycling, and circular product design — and how they engage communities, partners, and local craftsmanship to turn textile waste into real value on the ground.

The Green Times is a media platform for the road to a new, sustainable economy and the role of entrepreneurship in shaping it.

Want to learn more about The Green Times? https://www.thegreentimes.eu