Tiger Brands to extend operations of fruit business for another season
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -South Africa’s largest meals producer Tiger Manufacturers mentioned on Tuesday its fruit canning enterprise would lengthen operations for an additional season to avoid wasting over 4,500 jobs, whereas it talks to doable patrons for the unit.
The extension provides a little bit of certainty about the way forward for the enterprise, which was susceptible to being shut down after a two- 12 months “exhaustive” course of to discover a purchaser failed this 12 months as events had been unable to safe funding.
The maker of Jungle Oats and Tastic introduced in Could that it had terminated the method of discovering a purchaser and had began talks with key stakeholders together with everlasting and seasonal workers about the way forward for the enterprise.
In latest weeks, nonetheless, a big variety of events have expressed an curiosity in additional discussions on the doable acquisition of the enterprise, the corporate mentioned.
However any transaction for the enterprise wouldn’t happen in time for any profitable purchaser to place the required preparations in place to course of the forthcoming season’s crop, it added.
In consequence and in discussions with key companions together with union members and workers, it has determined to increase operations for one more season which is able to safe the roles of 250 everlasting workers and 4,300 seasonal staff, Tiger Manufacturers mentioned.
“The phrases agreed upon will contribute to considerably mitigating the danger of working losses within the forthcoming season,” it added.
Primarily based within the Western Cape, the Langeberg & Ashton Meals enterprise produces canned fruit, corresponding to peaches and guavas, and fruit purees largely for the export market.
It additionally provides Tiger Manufacturers’ culinary division, underneath the KOO model, and All Gold and Hugo’s jam manufacturers, in addition to the infant class.
(Reporting by Nqobile DludlaEditing by Promit Mukherjee and Louise Heavens)
