C O M PA N Y F O C U S
years 40 of successful
cooperation in South Africa
The story of the innovative partnership between Foodspec and Silesia has its roots in the 1970s when German citizen Hans Werner Olsen moved to South Africa to work in the dairy industry.
O
lsen decided that the
to Silesia’s expertise in this
country offered a prime
product category.
opportunity to start a
A new generation is now
business, which he called Foodspec.
leading the business at
He went into partnership with local
Foodspec: Ralf Olsen is now
entrepreneur and international
managing director and Jenal
dairy equipment promoter
Harduth, daughter of Gino
Gino Ramasray.
Ramasray heads up the
Olsen was introduced to
flavour division.
German flavour house Silesia by a colleague in the stabiliser industry. He visited Silesia’s headquarters and was very impressed with the company’s culture and technology. An agency agreement was struck between the two companies in 1980. The dairy industry was the initial focus of the partnership. The first delivery, consisting of two flavour canisters, arrived from Germany by post and was delivered to a highly regarded dairy factory in South Africa. After 40 years of hard work, enduring the political and economic challenges in South Africa, Foodspec and
‘Silesia brings top-quality Bronwyn Spenceley, key account manager, Jenal Harduth and Jeanette Govender, key account manager
grow our flavour business in South Africa.’ Creativity, customer briefings, internal objectives and current market trends form the basis of Silesia’s flavour development. Knowledge gained from analytical and sensory research concerning flavouring components detected in fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices, and prepared food is continually used in development work. Silesia/Foodspec has evolved as a
Silesia have become major players in the flavour industry. Jean-François Richard, Silesia’s regional sales director explains the partnership, ‘Foodspec has put an excellent
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system in place. Their approach to the business is based on top quality service, partnerships and adding value to customers. This matches Silesia’s sales strategy 100 per cent. It was the perfect synergy to develop and
14
Food Review | February 2020
invested a great deal in developing taste profiles that suit consumer preferences in South Africa and are very aware of local price constraints and offer costeffective solutions. As a company, they support customers at every stage of product development - from concept
“Sustainable sourcing of raw materials, energysaving and production process optimisation are a constant consideration”
market leader in the supply of savoury flavours. The range
The first delivery, consisting of two flavour canisters, arrived from Germany by post and was delivered to a highly regarded dairy factory in South Africa.
delivery and logistics
flavours to market. They have
of cheese flavours is often considered as benchmark products by food scientists and formulators. The company also places a special emphasis on beef and chicken flavours. The suppliers are also very active in the beverage industry
(mainly in the juice segment). Silesia’s range of apple, mango, pineapple and other tropical flavours are highly regarded. The business in the confectionery industry has developed enormously in the last decade, thanks
ideas to the recipe formulation and production process. They can finetune flavour profiles to match market demand,’ Harduth points out. Foodspec and Silesia offer a perfect mix of Western approach and African flair. Silesia brings international flavour technology to the market with German efficiency and consistency while providing technical and sensory training to food producers. With their global foundation, they share trends and innovations from around the world, adapting them to suit the African market. Foodspec opens doors to a large customer base, from the formal
