Nestled in rolling farmland south-west of Pietermaritzburg, Gateway Farms (Pty) Ltd is a long established contract packing company with a degree of technical expertise and a corporate culture that combine to make a serious challenge for the title of “Best in Africa”.

Founded in 1991, it is still run by one of the original pair of founders, Bill Beghin, and combines a relentless push for greater efficiencies with socially responsible policies on such things as community involvement and greenhouse gas emissions.

Unlike many industrial operations of this size, Gateway Farms owns the land and buildings it occupies. The pleasant rural setting belies the fact that the company is within an hour’s drive of Africa’s largest port, a serious boon for those customers who export products to Europe and the rest of Africa.

It is also a few minutes away from the N3, South Africa’s major artery to the economic hub of Gauteng.

In order to provide the best possible service to its clients, on both the canning and bottling lines, company policy has dictated that it does not possess any “own brands”.