General Company Description
Our Company was registered in July 2002 and consists of nine dedicated previously underprivileged unemployed members who have accepted ownership of our future. Our factory is situated on top of the mountain at Piketberg. This little town is approximately 150 kilometers from Cape Town, right in the middle of the SWARTLAND.
From our factory you have a magnificent view of the orchards that supply the fruit from which we make our products. The jams, chutneys, jellies and canned fruit are made from fresh fruit obtained from the farms. The products that we manufacture are marketed under the trade name INTABA which means Mountain in several black languages.
All our members received training and participated for a year in extensive financial and management skills. These members were also trained by the Agricultural Research Centre in Stellenbosch on the finer points to produce top quality jams and chutneys. The training was facilitated and paid for by IZANDLA, an organization that was established by the Cape Women’s Forum and NOZALA a black women’s organization from Gauteng.
Mission Statement
To make a profit by combining the two big assets: available manpower and plentiful fruit into an organization that will employ people and develop skills so that additional jobs can be created and markets expanded.
History
Intaba is the brand name of unique, niche market orientated jams, chutneys and herbal flavoured waters by a BEE called Mountain Fruit Processing (Pty) Ltd established in 2002 and situated on top of the Piketberg mountains. The small farming community consists of roughly 4000 souls of which the majority are the previously disadvantaged farm workers and their families. The uniqueness of our products is defined by the fact that we combine traditional recipes with indigenous flavours to create a mouth- watering, adventurous taste for the food connoisseur as well as the health conscious consumer using no preservatives. This unique product has its own unique origin and this is the story of how it all started.
With the turn of the millennium the Piket-Bo-Berg community sensed the local escalation of unemployment combined with the need to adjust to the national trend towards equally balancing the wealth of the region among its citizens. A feasibility study was conducted and the conclusion was made that that there were two main resources to tab from to start an initiative. Alot of fruit and the opportunity to create employment by processing, value adding and marketing the excess fruit.
The Piket-Bo-Berg Forum (PBBF) organized a meeting where producers, workers and unemployed discussed the opportunity. An interview was held with the unemployed and a group of 21 was elected to start the process. At the same time a non-governmental organization IZANDLA, a merge between the CAPE WOMEN’S FORUM and NOZALA TRUST, a black woman’s organization from Gauteng was formed. They got interested in the project and offered to help with start-up capital and training.
An international experienced facilitator was employed and together with project management by IZANDLA, 9 members from the initial 21 were selected after they accepted ownership of the project. Henry Leslie, a retired previously advantaged person with more than 30 years of experience in the industry was also included in this group to mentor and lead the group. The company was registered, the shares divided equally between members and the remaining share presentation allocated for reinvestment into the community. The ARC was contacted by IZANDLA to provide the technical support and training people in the manufacturing of jams, chutneys and dried fruit. An old farm school was purchased from the Moravian church for far less than its actual market value and singlehandedly upgraded by the members. Quickly a few 7 litre pots and some gas burners were purchased and small scale manufacturing of approximately 200 units a day was started.
Those starting days turned out to be an immense struggle to adhere to monthly financial obligations and also pay the members who are mostly heads of families and single mothers. The situation became so bad the members had to go week after week with no payment or had to sell some of the products individually to cover their weekly pay. At one time the members decided to look for temporary employment, leaving only Henry to man the office and work only weekends to keep up the stock levels. Every avenue to obtain additional finances like attending shows, holding promotional events and looking for additional funding was explored. Through all this turmoil the directors stayed focused, persevered and were spotted by the CSIR at the agricultural show at Bien Donne who introduced them to the Western Cape Provincial Government (PGWC). Intaba was incorporated into a governmental program for job creation and money was allocated to upgrade the facilities to the required standards. The CSIR was commissioned to give technical support and manage the project.
New advanced equipment was purchased and together with the upgraded facilities, a unique high quality product and tremendous personal sacrifices, the Intaba brand became renowned and attracted more attention from other organizations. Some government supported organizations like The Department of Tourism and the SOUTH AFRICAN AGRI ACADEMY (SAAA) jumped in and helped with training in marketing and ways to access the local and international markets. With this process still running Intaba is gearing up to present the market with a blend of our European culinary heritage spiced with indigenous flavours that will introduce the consumer to a whole new taste adventure.
A self-sustaining majority women-led Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment company, Vuya! Investments (Pty) Ltd recently became involved with us and they in turn introduced Henkel (SA) to us. Henkel was prepared to help us financially with a soft loan so that we could deliver our first Woolworths order. Our community responsibility was never forsaken. A periodical donation of jams is also done to the local primary school to support their feeding scheme as many of the pupils come from poor households. As we are country people who deeply depend on nature we have an environmental policy and every possible means of recycling is used and no damaging chemicals are used during our manufacturing. A teagarden with tasting facilities is also being planned to introduce our beautiful panoramic surroundings to tourists from everywhere and anywhere. So goes the story of INTABA and we are looking forward towards the future challenges in building an organization that will bring prosperity to our community and pride to its owners.
