Fruit and veggie supplier cuts it
Local business shines in Eskom awards
IT WAS four years ago when former bank regional sales manager Mphumzi Kose decided to strip off his suit, roll up his sleeves and start a fruit and vegetable processing company.
Living Harvest, based in Amalinda, the company focuses on acquiring, cutting and packaging high quality fruit and vegetables which are then supplied to private individuals, businesses, restaurants and hotel establishments in and around East London.
Made up of a team of staff who comprise 80% youth and 70% women, the processing business provides all types of fruit and vegetables.
The businesses was last month voted first runner-up in this year’s Eskom Business Investment Competition in the Agriculture and Agro-processing category. The Saturday Dispatch caught up with Kose to chat to him about his business and his plans for the future.
“I’ve always wanted to pursue the entrepreneurial route,” Kose said.
“I started by doing small government tenders and supplying hospitals with small perishables with a focus on meat, fruit and vegetables.
“I would then get an order of about R120 000 but 80% or 90% of that money would go to my suppliers. Then I realised that something is not right.
“There is nothing unique about cutting vegetables but then I found a gap in the market. In East London in particular that gap was on the hygiene side.”
It was then that Kose underwent SGS South Africa auditor training in order to receive a hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) certification.
The accreditation means the business has shown high levels of hygiene and food preparation standards.
SGS South Africa is an inspection, verification, testing and certification company. Kose said Living Harvest passed with 90% and is currently the only HACCP accredited agro-processing plant between East London and Port Elizabeth which deals in fruit and vegetables.
“I then did a business plan but one of the key things I realised is that in order to make this a success I need to find a partner who has experience in this field,” he said.
He partnered with Bernd Hendel, who at that point boasted an impressive 23 years in the fruit and vegetable business.
Funding was sourced Living Harvest was born.
From its humble beginnings, the business now supplies wellknown food establishments including the Windmill, Mugg & Bean, Shamrock Pies and Fish River Sun. — zisandan@ dispatch.co.za and