A group of leading SA fynbos producers recently announced the creation of Proteus Marketing Limited, registered in the Isle of Man, to market their production volumes jointly.
The group includes the Berghoff, Morgenzon, Mountain Dew, Tussenberge and Willowgreen farms, with negotiations underway to include other interested parties as shareholders. According to a statement issued by the group, Proteus will also market the products of a number of associated producers.
Speaking on behalf of Proteus, Marius Huysamer, a fynbos farmer from Porterville, said the new venture involves close collaboration with Onyx Worldwide AG and its group services company Onyx Management Limited, and Central African Roses Marketing Services Limited (CARMS), which has its Europe base at De Kwakel, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Huysamer said Proteus had been considering various options regarding the extension of its footprint into the international marketing arena before it was approached by Onyx, who was keen to differentiate its operations and services in the highly competitive international flower market.
“Given that the fynbos sector has seen huge consolidation in the recent past, where some of the traditional export and import companies of SA fynbos have either merged, or ceased their operations altogether, this venture is a logical step for the producer group to take charge of their own destiny,” said Huysamer.
The new venture will start operations on 1 July 2013.
