Delivering exceptional fruit straight from the orchard and right on to the shelves of the world’s retail, wholesale and food service partners, the Outspan, Cape and Goldland brands by Capespan South Africa are synonymous with fruit quality, and the business is looking to leverage such prominence as it looks to broader triumphs in the future.
A FRESH FRUIT FOCUS
Covering more than 60 countries on four continents via its ever-widening export footprint, the global name in fresh produce has established itself in every new country of operation over the years and South Africa is no different; optimising the same procurement, marketing and export standards that have been achieved elsewhere around the world, while embedding a strong local emphasis via partnerships with almost 200 SA growers.
Subsequently reducing supply chain costs and securing the shortest route to market for optimum fruit value across all of its customers, the business has formulated an overall offering that is difficult for others to contend with within the market.
“Underscoring our service to producers is our wealth of market experience,” the Company states. “This includes interpreting customer demands, transferring demands into packing specifications, ensuring fruit quality, and assisting on accreditations, certifications and auditing of pack houses and farms. In addition, we have a self-audit system for environmental issues, as well as safety and health specifications.
“Thanks to our state-of-the-art IT systems, producers can enjoy the advantage of an integrated reporting programme with full supply chain visibility via a B2B web portal, ongoing feedback and tracking the fruit through the chain.”
Capespan South Africa ultimately takes the stresses and strains out of each client’s value chain, also offering fully-integrated risk management consultancy across all business units.
“Apart from our good corporate governance, we have the expertise to identify, evaluate, control and finance the risk, plus flexible payment options to suit individual needs,” the Company adds.
PREFERRED GLOBAL PROVIDER
Via an innovative, engaging, solution-orientated approach, Capespan’s partner portfolio comprises some of the biggest names in international retail; naturally increasing the levels of responsibility in providing a top quality product, but epitomising the significance that the Group has been able to establish on a global scale.
“A total service culture is entrenched across all areas of the Capespan business; including sales, marketing, product quality, procurement and administration,” its website emphasises. “This paves the way for strategic partnerships with our customers, providing them with a competitive advantage in terms of product quality, supply security, innovation, cost-efficiency, supply chain management and transparency.
“Distinctive brands with a rich heritage support our expertise. In every corner of the world, the names Outspan, Cape, Goldland and Capespan Gold are synonymous with meeting the quality fruit brand promise.”
The former in particular has notched up more than 75 years as a recognised global fruit brand, ensuring consistency to a loyal customer base.
Capespan South Africa continues: “At Capespan, we develop a thorough understanding of our customers’ needs, utilising our competitive advantage – our people, sales and marketing methodologies, supply chain management, procurement and suppliers – to respond with appropriate products and value-adding service solutions to ensure that we own the customer relationship.
“Our unwavering focus is to ensure that we exceed the needs of our customers worldwide through execution excellence.”
Built within this ethos is an equally loyal workforce that ensures these standards are met on a daily basis and with the most sustainable and safe processes in tow.
“The Company supports all aspects of food safety, regulatory requirements and environmentally sound practices in fruit production,” its policies note. “This is achieved by promoting ethical fruit production, ensuring worker health & safety, fair treatment of farm and pack-house workers and maintaining traceability of products from orchard to store.
“From a product supplier perspective, we have regular reviews to maintain the ISA 9001:2008 requirements ensuring continuous improvement and to remain the preferred global provider of fresh produce and supply chain solutions.”
INNOVATION, TENACITY, AND SUSTAINABLE RISK TAKING
With port facilities in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Durban and Maputo – complemented by strategically-placed cold stores – the Company’s supply chain management strategy is understandably refined in order to meet such widespread criteria and in achieving direct-to-market channels for an industry where freshness is paramount.
As such, the business has affirmed its position as a supplier of choice, enabling Capespan to focus on improving its offering and value-for-money at product level.
Recent initiatives to this end include stabilising its prices for growers in South Africa, and improving its transportation logistics to ensure products arrive at their destination in the same condition as when they left Capespan’s facilities.
A dramatic revamp of the Company’s procurement strategy has also been encompassed within this proactive approach, in response to market fluctuations; another indictment of the flexibility that can be achieved with a Company of Capespan’s size, and the commitment to quality that is set to continue long into the future.
“We strive to excel through continuous improvement in creating value for all stakeholders as a fresh fruit marketing company,” the business concludes. “We drive and build a performance culture that rewards innovation, tenacity and sustainable risk-taking, while we gain advantage from different ideas and perspectives by valuing diversity in the multi-cultural, global environment in which we operate
“We also look to safeguard the livelihood of future generations and all our stakeholders by having due regard for the impact of the economic, social and environmental needs of the communities in which we operate, by operating with transparency, authenticity and fairness to create trust and ethical behaviour within the Capespan Fruit division.”
