Mpumalanga businessman, Mr Bongani Thobela departs for Germany on Sunday to search for an international market for his company’s fruit produce. Thobela is the Managing Director of Thobela Royale Farm, a company that farms in peaches, nectarines and vegetables in Elukwatini, Mpumalanga.

Royale Farm will be part of a group of companies that will be showcasing their products at the Fruit Logistica International Exhibition in Berlin, Germany from 5-7 February 2025.  The participation of the companies has been made possible by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic). This is part of the department’s efforts to provide companies with an opportunity to look for markets for their products internationally.

The main objective is to see companies increasing their production and creating more employment opportunities after securing deals to export their goods to various markets. In this way, they will be able to contribute in increasing the country’s exports and earning the much-needed foreign revenue that will contribute in South Africa’s economic growth.

“We are excited about the trip to Germany. We are hoping that we will be able to secure some orders that will enable us to export our products to Europe using Germany as a gateway. This is part of our plan to expand our business. We have already obtained an exporting licence. We have already sent our samples to Germany and China and they were positively received,” says Thobela.

He adds that he is particularly positive about making a breakthrough in the German market because last year he spent two weeks in the country learning everything there is to know about their fruits market, including all the standards and compliance requirements.

“We successfully networked during the trip, made very good contacts and built strong relationships. As a result, there are companies that have already shown interest in importing our fruits. We will be meeting them at the Fruit Logistica exhibition next week. We are optimistic that the meetings with these potential clients will result in concrete deals that will enable us to start shipping our products to Europe,” says Thobela.

Thobela says securing international orders in Berlin will impact positively on his company’s plans to expand its market and increase production. Currently, the company’s 65 000 trees produce 350 tons of peaches annually. These are supplied to numerous leading retail stores in South Africa including Woolworths and Spar, as well as the Fresh Produce Market in Johannesburg.

“We have a very good relationship with Woolworths through their packaging partner, Fruition. We have benefitted greatly from the knowledge, expertise and skills they imparted on us in order for our business and products to meet the requisite standard. With their support we are confident that we will continue to grow as a company,” says Thobela.

“Our growth will be of great benefit to the communities of this area, in terms of creating employment. Currently, we are employing 40 people, 15 of whom are permanent,” says Thobela.

An Industrial Engineer with a Master of Technology degree in Industrial Engineering, from the Vaal University of Technology, Thobela adds that at maximum operation, his  farm has the capacity of creating jobs for 250 people, including seasonal workers. The farm is 100 hectares in size but currently only 28 hectares are planted.

“There is a lot of investment that we will require to get to a fully commercial stage. Nevertheless, we are confident that with the support of government we will achieve our dream,” notes Thobela.

He says he is grateful to the provincial department of agriculture in Mpumalanga for their support that has enabled his company to grow to where it is today.

“A tragedy befell us in 2019 when the entire farm with 12 000 trees was burnt down by a veld fire, and the department assisted us to rebuild it,” says Thobela, who grew up in Matsulu, near Mbombela.


From Elukwatini to Germany – the Managing Director of Thobela Royale Farm, Mr Bongani Thobela hopes to find export market for the company’s fruits in Germany and beyond.


Nectarines produced by Thobela Royale Farm in Elukwatini in Mpumalanga

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