COMPANY PROFILE
2014
Two-A-Day Group
www.tad.co.za
company profile
Helping you reach your Five-A-Day Editorial: Harriet Pattison Production: Chris Bolderstone
First started in the early 1920’s, Two-A-Day is one of the key industry leaders in the South African market, growing and distributing apples and pears to both the local markets and internationally. Since becoming a privately-owned company in 1993, its growth has been exponential, now exporting to over 70 countries worldwide…
The apple and pear industry continues to be one of the most prominent in South Africa and with optimum growing conditions, Africa has emerged successfully as a very important contender in the global market. Two-A-Day Group began with just three fruit growers who, realising the high costs of infrastructure, decided to come together to do their packing and cold storage as a group. Almost a century on, Two-A-Day has become one of the industry leaders in the successful fruit farming sector. 30 years after its initial inception, in 1948, the company became the agricultural cooperative, Elgin Fruit Packers before it was later changed to a private company in 1993 and renamed the Two-ADay Group. Today, Two-A-Day remains a largely traditional company despite its ever increasing growth and expansion on an international scale. Two-A-Day is a member of the SA Apple and Pear Producers’ Association (SAAPPA). Established
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in the early 1970’s, it helps to both protect and promote the apple and pear growers of South Africa. Amongst other services, the SAAPPA assists producers with trade and market access, research and development, plant improvement and economic development.
A LARGE FOOTPRINT Across Southern Africa, Two-A-Day’s footprint has grown phenomenally in the last 20 years, spreading across the border into African countries, it is now selling in over 65 countries with an export market of 70%. In February, Managing Director Attie van Zyl explained to IndustrySA how the company manages these large volumes across the border: “We divide the African market into three geographical areas. There is what we call ‘over border’, which is Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, the DRC, Zimbabwe and Mozambique and countries just to the north of us. For these markets we will use road transport.
Two-A-Day Group
“The second area is West Africa which is from Angola upwards to Nigeria and Ivory Coast and the whole western part of the continent. The taste profile there is very different to our third area, the Eastern part of Africa, which includes Uganda, Kenya, and countries in that region. “In the very north of Africa, countries like Egypt and Libya, we see that as part of our Middle Eastern market,” van Zyl explained. Attie van Zyl joined the company over two decades ago, starting in the finance sector and working in various departments before being appointed the Managing Director five years ago.
TECHNOLOGY DRIVEN With advancements in technology changing the way in which businesses operate and grow, van Zyl explained how Two-A-Day’s continued investment in technology has helped to drive the business forward. It is perhaps in the factories where technology advancements prove to be most beneficial, helping with the fruit sorting processes in what was once a
time consuming and laborious task. The orchards too have benefited from advancements with horticultural technology making water usage far more efficient. “We embrace the science of fruit growing from a technology point of view,” van Zyl explained, “that’s what is going to help us drive the business forward in the next 20 years.” Recent technology investments have been in the house equipment and the cold storage facilities. Van Zyl explained how the old machinery would simply weigh the apples with the remainder done manually. The new machinery however is capable of much more, including diameter and colour sorting and detecting defects of every piece of fruit. The machine can take up to 80 HD photos per second of the fruit to create an overall image. From this, both the colour intensity and any blemishes can be detected and sorted. Implementing the software driven machine has made the sorting processes not only much more accurate but efficient too.
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company profile
THE APPLE GROWING DISTRICT Two-A-Day continues to operate out of the scenic Elgin District in the Overberg region, which it has done for nearly a century. Centred around the town of Grabouw, this is in the heart of the Elgin region and is the centre of the largest single export fruit producing area in Southern Africa. Its deciduous fruit market began over a century ago with Sir Antonie Viljoen, a medical graduate and the first to establish the very first commercial fruit orchards in the Elgin Valley. These orchards have led to the successful development of the apple industry which continues to serve as the
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economic support of the valley today. The apple industry is striving and continues to be one of South Africa’s largest export markets. The Elgin Valley produces an estimated 60% of the total annual crop, with Golden Delicious and Granny Smith the top varieties to be exported from 2007 to 2008. Golden Delicious remains the favourite of both Two-A-Day customers and South Africans, amounting to 25% of its total volume produced. Currently South Africa is the only country in the southern hemisphere able to produce it to the high quality standards.
Two-A-Day Group
Fast and Productive
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company profile AN A-PEEL-ING FUTURE
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In addition to growing its market across Africa, TwoA-Day will be looking at international expansion and developing its existing product portfolio of apples and pears. Van Zyl explains the company have been heavily focused on its packaging and coming up with new and innovative ideas within its horticultural department. Primarily however, it will concentrate on technological advancements to ensure it remains at the forefront of this increasingly competitive industry. “Our business model,” explained van Zyl, “the fact that we embrace technology across our different divisions, our global reach and our adherence to world class standards are really the keys to our success.” And although production and distribution costs can fluctuate, van Zyl believes the future for Two-A-Day remains a hugely positive one: “Our growth for the next eight to ten years is 50% growth. This is not just an estimated figure it is based on the orchards that have been placed in the last couple of years. It takes four years before it comes into production and seven to eight years before it’s in full production,” he concludes.
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Two-A-Day Group
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The options are to use either naturally durable but expensive exotic hardwoods, or less costly locally grown non-durable Pine or Eucalyptus (gum) timber or poles, that have been pressure treated with a suitable wood preservative to the desired exposure or hazard class. The H class system is a guide to help you buy the correctly treated timber for your project. Be sure to look for the required H class on the timber as well as one of the two quality marks given below.
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+44 (0) 1603 411569 info@industrysa.com East Coast Promotions Ltd, 2 Ardney Rise Norwich, Norfolk NR3 3QH
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