A failed export deal involving a shipment of pineapples to the Seychelles cost Cape Town entrepreneur Sandeep Valodia around R20 000.
It could have ended his plans to enter the fresh produce trade. Instead, it became the starting point for a business now supplying international buyers in more than 17 markets.
Valodia founded Iris Fresh with an initial investment of approximately R25 000. The Cape Town-based company has since developed into a Southern African exporter of berries, speciality vegetables and exotic fruit, connecting growers with buyers across Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa.
His route into agriculture was not a conventional one. After graduating in chemical engineering from the University of Cape Town, Valodia worked in banking and strategy consulting before turning his attention to the commercial opportunities within the region’s agricultural sector.
The business was built around a gap he identified between the quality of produce grown in Southern Africa and the networks required to sell it internationally.
The wider challenge of helping farmers access finance, skills and established markets has also featured in recent coverage of the barriers facing South African agriculture.
Connecting growers with international buyers
Iris Fresh works with growers in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, helping them navigate the requirements involved in supplying international markets.
That work extends beyond sourcing produce, as it includes understanding buyer preferences, export specifications, quality control and the logistics required to transport perishable goods across borders.
The company focuses on higher-value produce and niche categories rather than competing solely in large-volume commodity markets. Its range includes blueberries and strawberries under the Berry Blossom brand, as well as speciality vegetables and tropical fruit.
It also combines produce from different growing regions into mixed consignments, allowing buyers to source a selection of products through one exporter.
Valodia says the distinction between producing quality crops and successfully selling them overseas is significant.
‘Farmers understand their land, their crops and how to grow exceptional produce. But growing something and successfully selling it internationally are two very different things,’ he explains.
‘Our role is to understand what buyers want, help growers meet those expectations and manage the complexities in between. The strongest relationships are the ones where we grow together.’
For fresh produce exporters, those complexities include coordinating harvesting, packing, temperature-controlled transport and distribution. Maintaining quality throughout that process is essential when products must travel long distances before reaching retailers and consumers.
The company’s work with growers in neighbouring countries has also opened opportunities beyond South Africa’s established export routes.
One example is its involvement with Zimbabwean blueberry producers, as Valodia began exploring opportunities to introduce the country’s blueberries to international buyers around five years ago, when the product was still unfamiliar to some of the markets he approached.
The business’s cross-border sourcing model allows it to work with different growing regions and respond to demand for particular produce during specific seasons.
Its operations also extend beyond the company itself. The export process involves farms, packhouses, transport providers and other businesses responsible for getting produce from growers to international destinations.
Valodia’s wider business interests include co-founding renewable energy company Wetility, reflecting his involvement in ventures focused on commercial opportunities in different sectors.
With Iris Fresh established in international markets, Valodia is now exploring ways to expand the business beyond exporting raw agricultural products.
Among the opportunities being considered are berry-based beverages and avocado oil, using lower-grade produce that may not meet the appearance or specifications required for fresh export markets.
Agro-processing could create another route to market for agricultural products while retaining more value within the region. It is also an area the company is investigating as it looks to strengthen its operations and build a business that can grow beyond its founder.
‘There’s enormous potential in African agriculture, but we need to think beyond simply growing and exporting raw produce,’ Valodia says.
‘Whether it’s better access to markets, stronger supply chains or processing more of what we produce locally, there are opportunities to build businesses that are both profitable and genuinely valuable to the communities around them.’
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