GRAAFF FRUIT: Growing and Thriving in Ceres Valley

South Africa’s world-famous fruit farming industry is set to hit a boom period as good weather boosts harvests, and favourable trading conditions drive demand for the country’s tasty and lovingly nurtured products.

Currently, South Africa is a favoured partner for importers and retailers the world over. From west to east, there are few countries that don’t receive some form of sunshine-kissed South African fruit and veg.

As one of the world’s leading fruit producing countries, South Africa grows a strong range, from apples and oranges to dragon fruit, passion fruit, nectarine, and cherries. A Mediterranean-style climate, with sun and wind, and shelter from mountain ranges, the ecosystem is suited to tropical fruits. More than 50% of agricultural exports are fruits – this provides a major contribution to the country’s GDP. Citrus is a big sector for the industry, but more challenging fruits also thrive at the southern tip of the continent – bananas, avocados, blueberries, watermelon all grow well.

Grapes are obviously a staple for the country, with a world-leading wine industry, as well as large table grape production. There’s no hiding from the fact that South Africa is a fertile and versatile land, and has the ability to feed the region beyond its borders.

Alongside the fantastic produce coming from the country’s innovative farmers, the industry also contributes heavily to opportunity creation, offering up jobs, invention, skills development, enterprise growth, and social upliftment.

FRUITFUL SEASON

This year, the Western Cape – the country’s food basket – is expecting a bumper season for fruit exports. According to Western Cape Minister of Agriculture Ivan Meyer, projections for an increase of 6% in apples, 12% in pears, 26% for nectarines, and 2% for peaches compared to the previous season show that the industry and the region is doing something right.

“Agriculture is pushing forward,” he said, answering questions about the challenges faced as a result of supply chain issues, commodity pricing, Russia’s war in Ukraine, and Covid-19 fallout.

In 2020, the Western Cape province exported around R80 billion worth of agriculture and agri-processing products.

Part of the growing push comes from Graaff Fruit, headquartered in Paarl and operating South African fruit farms for more than half a century. This premier South African producer started out in 1968 when the Graaff family purchased farmland at Lushof. Over the following years and decades, the company grew dramatically, starting out with pears before moving to other varietals. Eventually, a pack house was established and new sites were added. Today, the company operates from sites at Romansrivier, Rietfontein, and Lushof, and produces and packs 25,000 tons of fruit each year, with exports heading to 35 countries around the world.

HISTORIC SUCCESS

CEO Robert Graaff tells Enterprise Africa more about how the company has become one of the most efficient and effective farming operations in the country.

“We are a fourth-generation family business, vertically integrated in the value chain, from new variety management, nursery, production, packing, and marketing through to logistics,” he says, citing the company’s involvement from seedling to farm to production, packing, marketing, shipping and beyond.

Currently, the Graaff range includes apricots, pluots (70% plum, 30% apricot), peaches, plums, apples, pears, nectarines, and onions. Supplying the local market (including Shoprite, Woolworths, Jumbo, and more), the company also sends 60% of product to supermarkets in the UK, Canada, America, the Middle East, and the Far East.

“One of our main goals is to have transparency and key insights into the value chain to be as efficient as possible,” says Graaff.

Over many years, the company has established strong partnerships with local companies, building a thriving business community which sees money flow through a value chain to a wide group. Graaff Fruit itself employs a large workforce, many of whom support a wider family meaning the impact of the company’s operations goes far.

Partnerships have been developed with related organisations that provide mutual benefits. Companies including Delecta Fruit, Orange River Vineyard Investments (Namibia), Home Produce (Zimbabwe), Rosenhof Nursery, TopFruit, PSB (Spain), Welgemeen Farm, Romans Fruit, CapeNature, De Grendel, and The Pines – all fruit and agriculture related in various ways – have Graaff involvement.

“External partnerships are very important,” says Graaff. “A good network with one’s neighbours, competition, northern hemisphere counter seasonal partners, key supermarkets and wholesalers is very important for long-term sustainable businesses.”

WORKING WITH NATURE

Since 2020, markets have realised major disruption with just about every hurdle that could be imagines thrown up in front of businesses. Global pandemic, war, extreme weather, infrastructure failure, and more have forced companies to be innovative. Following a modern strategy where decision making is fast and effective, Graaff Fruit has managed to avoid major stress in production or in finances. Particularly helpful during the Covid-19 pandemic has been a renewed focus on holistic health and how people can eat better to build natural defences, adding to a healthy immune system. Citrus and stone fruits have been highlighted thanks to their high levels of Vitamin C – a key booster for human immunity.

Robert Graaff was happy with the improved demand, locally and overseas. “People eating healthy and at home drove strong demand for fresh fruit,” he says.

With South Africa sending 10% of its annual citrus export to Russia, an estimated $2 billion has been lost since sanctions were imposed following the invasion of Ukraine. But being nimble and changing directly quickly is second nature to a company operating within the agriculture space, despite some unavoidable problems, according to Graaff.

“Fortunately, working with nature, we are very used to adapting quickly, Covid certainly tested this, however the logistics challenges were unforeseen and caused many disruptions for perishable products like fresh fruit with a limited shelf life, which faced many issues and challenges,” he says.

Now, farmers are looking at alternative markets to fill the gap left by Russia. Graaff Fruit has strong relationships in Europe, and the UK especially where it supplies into Waitrose, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Lidl, Asda, and Marks and Spencer.

“We are driven by progressive innovation and have a well-defined company culture of providing our customers with the best possible fruit in every aspect,” adds Graaff.

WHAT IS RIGHT

Like most in this industry, Graaff Fruit realised long ago that working alongside the natural environment, not against it, is the quick route to a sustainable business that can get more from its interaction with the planet. Robert Graaff is a champion of sustainability and ensures a culture of environmental consciousness is entrenched throughout the entire operation.

“We continue to focus on sustainability, not only what is good, but what is right, concentrating on our environment and our people’s well-being,” he says. “We have introduced many new initiatives which are very exciting such as outside gyms, a full-time nursing sister, laptops for high school children, two nature conservancies including wetland management, and practices around water and energy efficiency, and carbon emissions.

“Our carbon footprint is well off-set by the number of trees we maintain and plant every year and we’re continuously working towards reducing it even further,” he adds.

This is a growing business that will further enhance South Africa’s reputation in the global marketplace. In 2021, the company celebrated its first commercial cherry harvest and in 2020, the company was lauded by Delecta, taking home an award for Producer of the Year.

Deep in the Ceres Valley, Graaff Fruit thrives and grows by partnering with nature and driving sustainability. Named after the Roman goddess of fertility, Ceres is a location that offers up some of the best conditions in the world, and Graaff Fruit is doing all it can to take up the opportunity.