Thandi's US 'first' ( Monday 02 July 2007 )

CAPESPAN'S THANDI BRAND MADE ITS FIRST APPEARANCE ON US RETAIL SHELVES FOLLOWING A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN ALG ESTATES, FISHER-CAPESPAN AND WHOLE FOODS MARKET.

Permanent and seasonal workers of ALG Estates in the Citrusdal Valley in the Western Cape in South Africa are the beneficiaries of this partnership between the estate, US-based fruit importer Fisher-Capespan and US retailer Whole Foods Market. The partnership involves packing, shipping and marketing the Thandi-branded citrus fruit from ALG Estates and its empowerment partner Cedar Sitrus. Launched in 2002, Capespan’s Thandi brand serves as an umbrella for marketing fruit from empowerment projects in South Africa. Fisher-Capespan president Marc Solomon said, "We're privileged to facilitate this programme between the committed team at the Citrusdal farms and Whole Foods Market."

ALG Estates represents a community of 160 permanent families whose livelihoods depend on producing and marketing citrus fruit. Thirty-six of the workers are also shareholders of a new farm, Cedar Sitrus, which was founded five years ago as a 50-50 partnership with ALG Estates’ owners, Gerrit and All van der Merwe. Both ALG Estates and Cedar Sitrus have been marketing their fruit in the United Kingdom under the Fairtrade brand. "Through Fairtrade we receive a premium for our fruit which is used to fund community projects. Our new partnership with Fisher-Capespan and Whole Foods Market will help us to further maximise returns for our fruit to the benefit of our people," said Gerrit van der Merwe.

He explained that the partnership's citrus sales benefits also reached a large community of seasonal workers. "These workers - from the Citrusdal Valley and as far away as Eendekuil in the Swartland - have been loyal to the two farms and supplement their family income from our farming activities.

"The ALG-Cedar Sitrus partnership earned the approval of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, who blessed the crop before the harvest on two occasions. He's always retained a keen interest in progress with the project to make the ALG Estates’ farm workers co-owners in citrus farming. On a visit to the farms, during which he viewed farming operations and community facilities, Archbishop Tutu declared that "the hopes and dreams of South Africa's Rainbow Nation are alive and well in the Citrusdal Valley". In turn, the owners and workers at ALG Farms and the shareholders in Cedar Sitrus supported the Archbishop's Aids Foundation by donating fruit to HIV/Aids sufferers in South Africa.

Whole Foods Market(R) was founded in 1980 as a small retail store in Austin, Texas. Today, it is one of the world's leading retailers of natural and organic foods with 195 retail stores in North America and the United Kingdom. The retailer said it remained committed to being selective about what it sells, dedicated to stringent quality standards and committed to sustainable agriculture. "We believe in a virtuous circle entwining the food chain, human beings and Mother Earth: each is reliant upon the other through a delicate symbiosis," said a company statement. "We actively support organic farming - the best method for promoting sustainable agriculture and protecting the environment and farm workers."

Cedar Sitrus director Tiekie September commented that retailers around the world should support farm workers' efforts to become co-owners and improve their community life through better income by ensuring that their products were sold in the best possible market sectors. “We pack only the finest quality fruit and are proud to be associated with caring partners such as Fisher-Capespan and Whole Foods Markets, who obviously share our values.”

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