ClemenGold, a leading international late-mandarin brand, is increasing its business from South Africa to China as planting statistics indicate further increases in production.
Abs van Rooyen, chairman of ANB Investments, which owns the ClemenGold brand, says the group will increase its business with five Chinese supermarkets this season.
Van Rooyen says ClemenGold has received a boost from increased production in the Cape’s southern regions, and in the area around Marble Hall in the north -farm of the well-known Schoeman family.
“We are excited about Schoeman Farms joining the ClemenGold brand,” said van Rooyen. “They add a unique category to our size specification and are fully committed to our brand.”
At ANB InvestmentsKruisrivier farm near Heidelberg, all orchards have been converted to ClemenGold. This includes hi-tech production under netting, which will soon add another 16ha to production.
'The nets will guard against the wind, will increase pack-outs and enhance productivity of the trees,” said van Rooyen.
Further towards Cape Town and the west, at the well-known South African wine estate Zandvliet, near Ashton, which was acquired by ANB Investments a few years ago, there are much bigger ClemenGold expansions under netting.
'This will be one of the largest production units of mandarins under netting in the Southern Hemisphere. It shows our confidence in our products and in our brand,” said van Rooyen.
As well as expanding in Asia, ClemenGold is also increasingly becoming a feature on the local South African market. Leading retailer Woolworths has been running its winter promotion of ClemenGold mandarins for a number of years.
