Dole South Africa and the Mahela Group recently announced that they are entering a joint 50% shareholding partnership in Letaba Pakkers. This transaction brings together two significant and established role players in the subtropical fruit industry.
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By combining resources, expertise and infrastructure, the aim is to further optimise the existing packhouse facility. The packhouse, previously known as Afrupro Packers, is situated on the farm Dwarsfontein in the Politsi area in Limpopo.
According to a joint news release, the vision of the new management team is unanimous: to develop and maintain a best-in-class, multi-produce packing facility that will deliver efficient operations, market-related packing rates, and outstanding service to producers who pack at Letaba Pakkers.
The ability to pack and send avocados to export markets within set protocols remains one of the most difficult tasks any packhouse can undertake. “Bringing the operational excellence and experience of both parties together, Letaba Pakkers will continue to offer producers packing at the facility the best chance to deliver quality fruit to markets anywhere in the world,” states Barend Vorster, chief operating officer of Mahela Group.
The Tzaneen area is renowned for the production and export of exceptional avocados, litchis and mangoes. Letaba Pakkers plays a strategically important role in the region by delivering an independent, high-quality fruit packing service at a competitive cost to growers.
“This partnership represents a strategic step forward for Dole and the Letaba Pakkers facility. Not only will it support regional employment and contribute positively to the local economy, but also combine our respective strengths to create a strong platform to serve producers with efficiency, transparency, and long-term stability,” said Hannes Nieuwoudt, managing director of Dole South Africa.
Nieuwoudt explains that by aligning operational strength with commercial capability, the newly constituted board pledged a commitment to enhancing value for growers in the region and supporting the continued development of the local agriculture industry.
Vorster says that both partners will play an active role in governance and strategic oversight, ensuring balanced decision-making and a long-term growth focus. “Our shared focus is on operational excellence and service delivery.”
According to Vorster, Mahela and Dole are committed to deliver a service at a facility that producers can rely on.
“We believe this joint venture will strengthen our ability to serve growers and customers alike.
“The combined volume throughput of Dole, the Mahela Group and other producers in the area, as well as the collective professional management skills of both partners will create economies of scale and efficiencies that will benefit growers in terms of packing costs while delivering optimised operational capacities that meet the most exacting international quality standards,” said Vorster.
