Capespan, the multinational producer and marketer of fresh fruit, has today announced the launch of Capespan Izithelo, a new marketing venture that will focus on servicing the local South African retail market.
Capespan Izithelo is a joint venture between Capespan and its South African broad-based BEE employees trust and black management team. The company is majority black-owned and controlled.
Capespan’s managing director, Tonie Fuchs, explained that “Izithelo” means “Fruits” in IsiZulu and he is extremely excited about this new venture. “For many years, Capespan has, from a South African perspective, primarily focussed on the export of our core basket of South African fresh fruit. With the increase in production across our core commodities in South Africa, it has become imperative for Capespan to also offer local market solutions to our grower partners. Capespan Izithelo will fulfil this mandate.”
Capespan’s service and product brands are synonomous with great service and quality across the world. Capespan believes that they can achieve the same success with their product expertise and quality in the South African market. “The South African market shows a growing demand for top quality fresh fruit. Capespan has established itself as a market leader in delivering our core products of citrus, pome fruit and table grapes to markets and high-end retailers globally. Izithelo, as a fully empowered, black-owned local marketing entity, will enable Capespan to utilise its global expertise to service the local South African market,” said Fuchs.
Capespan has appointed Thokozani Sibisi (right) as managing director of Capespan Izithelo. Sibisi is a young fruit specialist and will be in charge of managing Capespan Izithelo in servicing the South African fresh produce market.
Sibisi is extremely excited with the prospects and potential of this new venture.
“With the growing South African demand, the sky is the limit to what we can achieve. South Africa has a significant shortage of black participants in the fresh produce industry, especially empowered entities with the scale and expertise required to service the sophisticated retail market. Izithelo is uniquely positioned as a black-owned and controlled fruit business, combined with the top product and service expertise of a global leader like Capespan,” she said.
Fuchs added that Capespan, as a company with strong South African roots, is committed to create opportunities for its black employees to participate in the economy in line with the objectives of the B-BEE legislation. “Capespan Izithelo will empower Capespan’s black employees by ensuring that they have broad and meaningful participation in the agricultural sector, leveraged off Capespan’s legacy for quality and service delivery. This initiative is a clear demonstration of Capespan’s commitment to our government’s transformation agenda and will give us a competitive edge in the local fruit market. All of this is ultimately aimed at providing a better service to our customers, based on their needs, as well as greater market solutions to our grower partners,” he concluded.
For more information:
Thokozani Sibisi
Capespan Izithelo
Email: thokozani@capespanizithelo.co.za
www.capespan.com