ASSOCIATIONS

16

More than just a cold storage provider

18

CGA updates

Contributors

34

Why all the legislation concerning our refrigeration systems ?

35

Quality sells …

South Africa is still largely considered the gateway for supply and investment to the entire sub-Saharan portion of the continent and therefore an increasing hotspot for suppliers and investors alike , who are now also widening their nets , given the playing field the global pandemic has left behind .

The cold chain is of course essential now , and will always be in the future , and with the opportunities in this country , as well as the large investment opportunities in the rest of the African continent , the realisation of food security and waste will become more pronounced . The continent ’ s income class shift is also once again evident due to increased pressures directly linked to side effects of the ongoing pandemic .

As global trade has seen such vast developments over recent years , it is not difficult at all for products from around the world to find a home in South Africa , and too often poor quality products fool the purchaser . It is definitely one thing to keep in mind as competition is set to rise even further . Although President Ramaphosa urges companies to buy locally produced goods and services , there are no ‘ barriers ’ supporting local

companies at this point in time , and often not a sufficient manufacturing base ( for various reasons ).

Similarly , partnering with international investors into the space , now is the time to come up with excellent concepts or out of the box ideas that are not necessarily available in other countries . Each country has its nuances and with that comes opportunity . South Africa is known to be home to some of the most innovative people on the planet – if there is an opportunity to resolve or improve any of those nuances , act quickly .

Leading on from the opportunities that will start to surface in the market in the short term , is the re-launch of the continent ’ s largest dedicated HEVACR event , FRIGAIR 2022 , that will now take place between 1 and 3 June 2022 , as you should know by now .

As we celebrate the new countdown , and subsequently the month the show would have taken place this year , we have invited the industry to participate in showcasing their latest products , innovations , services or celebrations . For that reason we have dedicated a substantial portion of this issue to bring you that news .

We also have in this issue coverage of the new de-greening rooms in Addo of the Sundays River Citrus Company . We have local news including the celebration of a significant birthday , and start the

conversation on the topic of box carton designs – that since the deregulation of the fruit industry has lost uniformity and creates challenges for produce coolers as well as quality issues down the supply chain . We have some international news and of course our contributors write about topics from post-harvest technology to addressing the latest trends and long term losses .

This month ’ s quote is one that I believe is something for everyone to consider . Naturally each quote may have a different significance to each of you , but to me it symbolises the reality that investing in companies or individuals with knowledge will firstly have been around the block in terms of quality . Secondly , knowledge implies experience which holds much more value than a simple piece of paper saying you passed at something . Today knowledge and experience don ’ t always get the recognition of value they deserve .

“ An investment in knowledge pays the best interest .” – Benjamin Franklin .

I trust you enjoy reading this issue and as always , should you want to engage with me in a compliment , complaint , suggestions or participation in this journal – I welcome this . There are a lot of opportunities to get involved and it ’ s not as difficult as you may think !

Have a great month ! CLA‐

Kind Regards

Ben

Please contact me via any of the following channels : Email : benjamin @ interactmedia . co . za Office : + 27 11 579 4940 Cell : + 27 82 940 0701 ( Call / Text / WhatsApp )

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