Having recognised that we are building an almond industry from scratch in South Africa, we have organised our almond grower base within a Cooperation Agreement. This ensures long-term thinking by all parties to achieve end-to-end solutions spanning genetics, production, harvesting, processing and marketing.
Unlimited Nuts has invested since 2014 in new almond varieties, production research and personnel capacity to give technical support to the producers. Such capacity forms the foundation of any vibrant agricultural industry locally and internationally.
Our commitment to our producer
To conduct a scoping visit and ascertain the viability of Almonds in the area, soil, production potential, water availability and general ability of the Grower/Producer.
Map of Key Growers
Meet some of our Growers
KOUTIE FARM – KAMMANASSIE – KLEIN KAROO
The Du Plessis Family
Koutie Farm - Kammanassie - Klein Karoo
Manie Du Plessis and his family have owned the farm, KOUTIE, since 1989. They are farming mainly with vegetable seeds and ostriches. In addition, also Dorper sheep, cattle and a large flock of Angora goats for mohair production. Manie developed significant portions of the available arable land by drilling for water, building dams, ripping and lying underground pipelines.
Manie and his wife Sonja have two children, Pieter and Sonnica, who joined the family business with their spouses after their studies. Their operation supplies all the pollination units required for the vegetable seed production on Koutie and the almond enterprise. They also service farms across the Western and Eastern Cape.
Almonds
After researching more long-term crops, Manie decided to go to Spain on an excursion trip to investigate the possibility of almond production on Koutie. Unlimited Nuts guided this trip, and soon after 2017, the first 2ha of almonds was planted. A year after that, another 18ha added to the total of 20 ha of mixed varieties, including Non-Pareil and Soleta. This was done in a new company called KAMMANUTS.
Manie has solid engineering skills and he developed a very efficient seed processing plant over time. With this background, he also decided to expand his operations to processing Almonds. Therefore, he started the KOUTIE NUTWORKS Company to process the farm's own produce and the other almond farms in his area. Some 380ha have been established in the area since 2018 and this plant will become the second-largest Almond Processing plant in South Africa.
The Du Plessis family believes there is an excellent opportunity to become leaders in the almond processing business. Their goal is to collaborate with Unlimited Nuts and other producers to deliver exceptional service to their fellow farmers and thereby helping to put almond production in RSA on a sound commercial footing.
ONGEGUND & MORGENSTER FARM –DURBANVILLE
Hennie & Koos De Villiers
The two De Villiers brothers farm just outside Durbanville on Ongegund, Hennie de Villiers and Morgenster, Koos de Villiers. Originally, the farm grew wine grapes, but recently, the low margins caused them to investigate alternative crops. As a result, they started to diversify their operations in 2017 to include almond production. They decided to aim for ultra-high-density plantings, enabling them to achieve economic production much earlier than with the usual low-density plantings. Today they have 30 hectares of Almonds already. They planted Soleta, a self-fertile variety, Elfahem and Non-Pareill, which need cross pollinators for optimum production. They are also experimenting with varieties like Sweetheart. The almonds adapt well to their rich Hutton soils, with rainfall between 450mm-500mm and a moderate Mediterranean climate. At this early stage, the performance of the Elfahem, a low chilling requirement variety, is outstanding, but all the other varieties are also performing according to expectations.
VOELGESANG – DE RUST
Pieter & Pietman Schoeman
The Schoeman family has farmed at Voelgesang near De Rust since 1900. Initially, their primary farming operations consisted of ostrich, tobacco, wine grapes and dairy farming. However, that changed over time to vegetable seed production and growing pastures for Dohne Merino and cattle for beef production. They wanted to invest in a long-term crop with low risk and long shelf life, so they planted the first almond trees in 2018. Today, there are 27.5 hectares of almonds. There is enough good arable land with water rights to scale up considerably and the climate is perfect for almond production. They are experimenting with low chill and high chill varieties, self-fertile and varieties that need cross-pollination; all types appear to be doing well. They are also experimenting with both low density and high-density plantings. At this stage, the higher density plantings outperform the lower density plantings, but it is still early.
KOUTIE FARM – KAMMANASSIE – KLEIN KAROO
The Du Plessis Family
Koutie Farm - Kammanassie - Klein Karoo
Manie Du Plessis and his family have owned the farm, KOUTIE, since 1989. They are farming mainly with vegetable seeds and ostriches. In addition, also Dorper sheep, cattle and a large flock of Angora goats for mohair production. Manie developed significant portions of the available arable land by drilling for water, building dams, ripping and lying underground pipelines.
Manie and his wife Sonja have two children, Pieter and Sonnica, who joined the family business with their spouses after their studies. Their operation supplies all the pollination units required for the vegetable seed production on Koutie and the almond enterprise. They also service farms across the Western and Eastern Cape.
Almonds
After researching more long-term crops, Manie decided to go to Spain on an excursion trip to investigate the possibility of almond production on Koutie. Unlimited Nuts guided this trip, and soon after 2017, the first 2ha of almonds was planted. A year after that, another 18ha added to the total of 20 ha of mixed varieties, including Non-Pareil and Soleta. This was done in a new company called KAMMANUTS.
Manie has solid engineering skills and he developed a very efficient seed processing plant over time. With this background, he also decided to expand his operations to processing Almonds. Therefore, he started the KOUTIE NUTWORKS Company to process the farm's own produce and the other almond farms in his area. Some 380ha have been established in the area since 2018 and this plant will become the second-largest Almond Processing plant in South Africa.
The Du Plessis family believes there is an excellent opportunity to become leaders in the almond processing business. Their goal is to collaborate with Unlimited Nuts and other producers to deliver exceptional service to their fellow farmers and thereby helping to put almond production in RSA on a sound commercial footing.
ONGEGUND & MORGENSTER FARM –DURBANVILLE
Hennie & Koos De Villiers
The two De Villiers brothers farm just outside Durbanville on Ongegund, Hennie de Villiers and Morgenster, Koos de Villiers. Originally, the farm grew wine grapes, but recently, the low margins caused them to investigate alternative crops. As a result, they started to diversify their operations in 2017 to include almond production. They decided to aim for ultra-high-density plantings, enabling them to achieve economic production much earlier than with the usual low-density plantings. Today they have 30 hectares of Almonds already. They planted Soleta, a self-fertile variety, Elfahem and Non-Pareill, which need cross pollinators for optimum production. They are also experimenting with varieties like Sweetheart. The almonds adapt well to their rich Hutton soils, with rainfall between 450mm-500mm and a moderate Mediterranean climate. At this early stage, the performance of the Elfahem, a low chilling requirement variety, is outstanding, but all the other varieties are also performing according to expectations.
VOELGESANG – DE RUST
Pieter & Pietman Schoeman
The Schoeman family has farmed at Voelgesang near De Rust since 1900. Initially, their primary farming operations consisted of ostrich, tobacco, wine grapes and dairy farming. However, that changed over time to vegetable seed production and growing pastures for Dohne Merino and cattle for beef production. They wanted to invest in a long-term crop with low risk and long shelf life, so they planted the first almond trees in 2018. Today, there are 27.5 hectares of almonds. There is enough good arable land with water rights to scale up considerably and the climate is perfect for almond production. They are experimenting with low chill and high chill varieties, self-fertile and varieties that need cross-pollination; all types appear to be doing well. They are also experimenting with both low density and high-density plantings. At this stage, the higher density plantings outperform the lower density plantings, but it is still early.