The experience of Savino Del Bene group in South Africa

Savino Del Bene SpA has been in South Africa since 1997, but it has been independent for only four years. The business increased in this area, as Ivano Angelotti, Area Manager in South Africa says: “Our income has increased in the last few years, from 319 million Rand (30 million Euro) to 710 million Rand (67 million Euro) with an increase of 123%, which makes South Africa one of the most satisfying markets.”

Savino Del Bene is specialized in transport via sea, air and land and correlated services all over the world. The sectors it deals with are fruit and vegetables, fashion, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, renewable energy. As far as the South African market is concerned, the percentage of fruit transport is quite limited but it seems to be promising.

“Big South African fruit and vegetable companies usually deal with ship owners for huge lots”, the manager explains. “We play our role either at the beginning or at the end of campaigns when producers have special needs such as hurrying delivery times of first fruits or optimizing the management of mixed loads and following them till their delivery.”

Thanks to highly skilled personnel, often coming from shipping companies, Savino Del Bene is able to supervise goods throughout the route even when transshipments make it difficult to pick out where exactly the goods are. “Especially for perishable goods it is extremely important to be on time because time makes the difference on the price in the market and it reduces the risk of protests and/or refusals of loads.”

Base of Savino Del Bene in Cape Town.

The main logistics flows for South African fruit are those aimed to Asia, the Persian Gulf and Russia, whereas the trade with Italy is much less despite the latest increases. Today, if fruit – in particular table grapes and oranges – represents only 4-5% of Savino del Bene’s business in South Africa, there will be perspectives of growth. “We need skilled personnel, above all in Namibia, who speak their local language, Afrikaans.”

“In order to complete our local strategy”, concludes Angelotti, “last month we bought a company and we opened a base in Namibia and we are planning to open another base in Mozambique soon.”

For more information:

Ivano G. Angelotti
Worldwide Pricing Corporate - Director
Russia – East Europa - Black Sea – Turkey - South Africa – Director
Email: [email protected]

Linda Carobbi
Corporate Director Reefer Division
Phone: +39 (0)55 5219616

Savino del Bene Spa
Worldwide Head Quarter - Italy
Via del Botteghino 24-26
50018 Scandicci- Florence - Italy
Phone: +39 (0)55 5219547
Web: www.savinodelbene.com