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About Us

Global Business with Family Values

At the heart of Indigo Fruit Farming’s history, you’ll find the Esser family, with Allan and Emmie Esser cultivating the supply relationship with South African retailer Woolworths as far back as 1983 from their farm in the Burgersfort Valley. Following the establishment of the Naranja Citrus Estate partnership in 2000, AJ Esser (current Indigo Fruit Farming CEO) forged the relationship with Abs van Rooyen and the Du Roi Nursery and ultimately consolidated their farms into the ANB Investments Group, establishing Indigo Fruit Farming as the production and packing arm.

Part of the company’s success has been the introduction of the globally favoured Nadorcott mandarin variety of which the first trees were planted in Letsitele in the early 2000s.

In 2003 the need for extended packing capacity, culminated in the development of Naranja Packers. In 2008, additional equipment was required to handle the harvest and in 2015 a complete upgrade followed, making Naranja one of the country’s foremost citrus packing facilities with the concept of automation and storing full pallets on shelves challenging some of South Africa’s regulations regarding packaging.

Visual Timeline

1983
2000
2002
2002
2003
2005
2008
2011
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2020

1983

Formation of Woolworths supply relationship with Esser Family of Burgersfort

2000

Naranja Citrus Estate partnership established

2002

First Nadorcott trees planted at Letsitele

2002

Next 40ha Nadorcott trees planted at Naranja

2003

First urgent packing capacity expansion identified and implemented at Naranja

2005

Indigo Fruit Farming is registered as a company

2008

The Du Roi Group of companies and Indigo Fruit Farming (Letsitele, Burgersfort, Nelspruit and Naranja Packers) consolidated its shareholding into a coordinated operating entity called ANB Investments (Pty) Ltd.

2011

Indigo Olivedale and Indigo Kruisrivier were added to the Indigo Fruit Farming basket, while Swellenfruit Packers joined as an accredited packing facility.

The Maradadi farm lease was approved by the Bathlabine community, expanding the Indigo Fruit Farming footprint as well as Nadorcott plantings into the Letsitele Valley.

2014

The Group bought 33.33% into BBI Packers to increase and secure packing capacity for Indigo Fruit Farming for future volumes

2015

50% of Bavaria Fruit Estate, BBI Packers and Baobab Value Adding was acquired. Zandvliet Wine Estate was acquired and earmarked for citrus development as well as maintaining the wine division.

2016

Naranja Packhouse expansions allow the packhouse to process 100 mega bins (±38 tons) per hour for 22 hours of the day. This means that roughly 32 link trucks will daily download their special load to be packed in 50,000 x 15kg cartons, when running at full capacity.

2017

Ruiterbosch Agri – An exciting new joint venture in Ruiterbosch, 30km outside of Hartenbos, was formed to plant citrus and avocado.

KMI Farming – This joint venture was formed in conjunction with ANB Investments (Pty) Ltd, LA Visagie en Seun (Pty) Ltd and Primkop Airport Management (Pty) Ltd, each owning one third of the company. Serala Estate leased from the Mamahola Community in Letsitele Valley.

2018

Twycross Citrus Packers acquired in Nelspruit. Newly developed BBI Packers packing facility in Hoedspruit packs its first crop in April. The Group acquired an additional 50% in Bavaria Fruit Estate, BBI Packers and Baobab Value Adding, making it a 100% whole owned subsidiary.

2020

A-Pack division established to provide strategic leadership for all ANB packing facilities. Noordhoek farm acquired near Riviersonderend. Acquired a controlling stake in the ARISA packhouse in Swellendam.

 

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