by SAVIOUS KWINIKA
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – SOUTH African agro-processing entrepreneurs who exhibited at the Anuga Food and Beverage Trade Fair in Cologne, Germany, are returning home buoyed by strong interest in their products and confident that the trade leads secured will soon translate into export deals.
The delegation, supported by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic), showcased a range of locally produced goods — from olive oils to Rooibos cordials — as part of South Africa’s export market diversification drive.
The initiative forms part of government efforts to help small and medium agro-processing firms access global markets and boost the country’s non-mineral exports.
Janke Elloff, Key Accounts and Supply Chain Manager at Chaloner Artisanal Mountain Products, said her company’s virgin olive oil drew “rave reviews” from European visitors.
“We are optimistic that we will soon break into the European market after the positive feedback and promising leads we received,” she said.
Tebogo Ditsebe, Managing Director of Botebo Farming, held several meetings with buyers from the United Kingdom, Japan and Saudi Arabia.
“I have four very promising leads and we’ve already discussed possible pricing and volumes for our white and red juices,” she said.
Similarly, Hetta van Deventer-Terblanche, Director of *Two in a Bush, reported generating 36 trade leads for her organic rooibos cordial, several of which she expects to turn into “tangible deals.”
Funky Ouma Gourmet CEO Stephie Jordan added that more than 200 visitors sampled her products, calling the fair “massive and invaluable” for growing the brand’s international footprint.
The Anuga fair, one of the world’s largest food and beverage trade events, drew thousands of exhibitors and buyers — offering South African firms a global stage to promote quality, locally made products.
— CAJ News