What Bester Feed & Grain does

Bester Feed & Grain (Pty) Ltd is a South African agricultural commodity trading company headquartered in Stellenbosch, founded in 1994 and operating as the flagship trading entity of the BexGroup conglomerate. The company specialises in the domestic and international marketing of grains (wheat, barley, oats, canola, triticale, lupins, white and yellow maize, sunflower, soya beans, sorghum), oilcakes, millers' by-products, oilseeds, lucerne, and pecans, with secondary trading in fishmeal and feed additives. Its core customers are grain producers, millers, animal feed manufacturers, and feedlots across Southern Africa, with exports of pecans to China and blueberries to Europe via its Bester Fruit & Nuts division.

The business operates an integrated, vertically structured value chain that combines commodity trading, hedging and derivative services (BDT Africa, via a JSE SAFEX seat), manufacturing and storage infrastructure (Moorreesburg Silobag Depot, Louis Maree Depot, Bester Storage, National Pride Lucerne, Vaalharts Pecan Plant, Hazyview Macadamia Plant, Treonne animal feed products), logistics (Bextrans road transport, Bester Clearing & Forwarding Zambia), and primary production (Bester Pekans, BBB Blueberries, BCB Sitrus, Mount Pierre). Digital infrastructure consists of the Bester App, which centralises contract information, daily market reports, live SAFEX prices, historical pricing, weather data, and WhatsApp-based field agent access. Production throughput is stated at 2 million tons per year, with 405 permanent and 1,100 seasonal employees supporting operations.

Revenue is generated primarily on a transaction-fee basis across commodity trading, supplemented by managed services for storage, handling, drying, grading, and screening, plus derivative trading fees. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The company operates from offices in six countries — South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, Tanzania, Mauritius, and the UAE — with disclosed approximate turnover of R25 billion. Certifying memberships span AFMA, INC, GOSA, JSE, SACOTA, and PFI, alongside BRCGS Food Safety, B-BBEE Level 2, SBTi-approved emissions targets, and Act 36 of 1947 registrations for animal feed products.

Name

Bester Feed & Grain

Legal name

Bester Feed & Grain (Pty) Ltd

Website

https://bester.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Bester Feed & Grain is a South African agricultural commodity trading company, founded 1994 and part of BexGroup, marketing grains, oilseeds, oilcakes, animal feed ingredients, and nuts to producers, millers, feedlots, and exporters across Southern Africa and selected international markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Commodity Trading

NAICS

Grain and Field Bean Merchant Wholesalers (424510), Grain and Field Bean Merchant Wholesalers (42451), Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers (4245), Other Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers (424590), Other Animal Food Manufacturing (311119), Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (42491)

SIC

Wholesale-Farm Product Raw Materials (5150), Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Byproduct & Co-Product Feed Blending (DDGS, soybean hulls, wheat midds) (AFADAIAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

All-Stock & General-Purpose Complete Feeds (Multi-Species) (AFADAIAB), Feed Grain Production (Livestock Feed Grains) (AFAGAAAK), Grain Processing for Feed (Cracking, Rolling, Grinding) (AFADAIAF)

Keywords

• Agricultural commodity trading
• Grain marketing
• Animal feed ingredients
• Agricultural storage logistics
• Fertilizer supply chain

Headquarters

HQ city

Stellenbosch

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Agricultural Commodity Trading: Core business involving domestic and international marketing of agricultural commodities including grains, oilcakes, millers' by-products, oilseeds, lucerne, and pecans. Trading in winter grains (wheat, barley, oats, canola, triticale, lupins) and summer grains (white maize, yellow maize, sunflower, soya beans, sorghum).
2. Animal Feeds Ingredients: Supply of quality feed ingredients on a continuous basis to the animal feed sector and feedlots through preferential contracts with selected factories and primary suppliers. Value added through long-term agreements, financing, storage, quality control, risk management, and transportation. Imports from Europe, China, Latin America, and Africa.
3. Bester Fruit & Nuts: Sourcing, processing, and exporting of pecans (in-shell, halves, pieces) and macadamia nuts. Vaalharts Pecan Plant handles sizing, grading, cracking, and export preparation. Primary focus on Chinese market for pecans, with blueberries exported to Europe.
4. Storage & Handling Services: Storage services through Moorreesburg Silobag Depot (40,000 ton capacity), National Pride Lucerne (12,000 ton), Louis Maree Depot (80,000 ton), Bester Storage (2,200 m2 warehouse in Vanderbijlpark), and drying, grading, and screening services.
5. Derivative Trading (BDT Africa): Derivative trading service offering price hedging solutions for commodities traded through SAFEX Agricultural Commodities Division and SAFEX Global Commodities Division, including local and foreign referenced agricultural commodities.
6. Fertilizer: Established June 2023, optimising the agricultural inputs supply chain by importing, handling, blending, and delivering fertiliser products to clients throughout Southern Africa.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Bester Feed & Grain is an agricultural commodity trading company that markets grains (winter and summer), animal feed ingredients, oilcakes, oilseeds, lucerne, pecans, macadamias, blueberries, citrus, and fertilizer across Southern Africa. The company manages the full supply chain from production to processing through specialist marketers, integrates storage (silo bag depots and warehouses), transportation (via affiliated Bextrans), clearing & forwarding, and price hedging (via JSE/SAFEX derivatives), with supporting processing facilities for nuts, lucerne, and animal feed products.

Product overview

Bester Feed & Grain operates as an agricultural trading organisation with a diversified portfolio spanning trading services, manufacturing/storage facilities, affiliated companies, and farming operations. The core offering includes grain trading (winter and summer grains) and animal feed ingredients trading, complemented by specialised divisions for Bester Fruit & Nuts (pecans, macadamias, blueberries, citrus) and Bester Fertilizer. Manufacturing and storage operations include Treonne animal feed products (TreoSOY, TreoSun, Treoblend, Enhance), Vaalharts Pecan Plant, Hazyview Macadamia Plant, Moorreesburg Silobag Depot, Bester Storage, Louis Maree Depot, and National Pride Lucerne. The Bester App provides a unified mobile platform for trading and contract management. Affiliated companies include Bextrans (logistics), BDT Africa (derivative trading), Teraka (transport), and Bester Clearing & Forwarding Zambia. Farming operations encompass Bester Pekans (pecans), Mount Pierre (livestock/game), BBB Blueberries, and BCB Sitrus.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bester App One-stop mobile application centralising trading and contract information, providing daily market reports, live SAFEX prices, historical commodity pricing, weather forecasts, contract monitoring, and WhatsApp access to field agents. Built for grain producers, millers, and feed industry clients to manage trading in real time.
• Grain Trading Marketing and supply chain management from production to processing for winter grain (wheat, barley, oats, canola, triticale, lupins) and summer grain (white maize, yellow maize, sunflower, soya beans, sorghum) producers and millers across Southern Africa.
• Animal Feed Ingredients Supply Specialist service delivering quality feed ingredients (soya oil cake, sunflower oil cake, cotton oil cake, maize bran, wheat bran, grains) on a continuous basis to the animal feed sector and feedlots through preferential contracts with selected factories and primary suppliers, including imports from Europe, China, Latin America, and Africa.
• Treonne Animal Feed Products (TreoSOY, TreoSun, Treoblend, Enhance) Technologically advanced animal feed products produced by Treonne Products (Pty) Ltd (50% BexGroup-owned). TreoSOY is high rumen-bypass protein; TreoSun is a sunflower-based bypass amino acid product; Treoblend is a soy/sunflower bypass amino acid blend; Enhance is a full-fat soy/soy meal product for beef or mutton production.
• Bester Fruit & Nuts Sourcing, processing, and exporting of pecans (in-shell, halves, pieces), macadamias, blueberries, and citrus fruits. Vaalharts Pecan Plant handles sizing, grading, cracking, and export preparation with BRC/BRCGS certification; primary focus on Chinese market for pecans and European market for blueberries.
• Bester Fertilizer Optimises the agricultural inputs supply chain by importing, handling, blending, and delivering fertiliser products to clients throughout Southern Africa as a strategic procurement partner.
• Moorreesburg Silobag Depot (MSD) Storage facility with 40,000 ton capacity storing grain in 60-120 metre polyethylene silo bags. Operates as a JSE SAFEX delivery point and provides drying, grading, and screening services.
• Louis Maree Depot (LMD) 80,000 ton capacity silo bag storage facility in Free State receiving maize, soya, sunflower, and wheat, with drying facilities and registered Safex delivery point.
• National Pride Lucerne Lucerne processing plant in Jan Kempdorp storing 12,000 tons of Big Pack bales and grading/milling lucerne using best equipment in Southern Africa.
• Vaalharts Pecan Plant Pecan nut sizing, grading, and cracking facility in Vaalharts region handling in-shell exports and processed halves/pieces with BRC standards compliance.
• Hazyview Macadamia Plant Macadamia nut drying, grading, and packing facility in prime South African macadamia-producing region with rigorous quality control and batch analysis.
• BDT Africa - Derivative Trading Derivative trading service offering price hedging solutions for commodities traded through SAFEX Agricultural Commodities Division and SAFEX Global Commodities Division, including local agricultural commodities and foreign referenced commodities.

Quantifiable outcome

• R25 billion approximate turnover
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Animal Feed Manufacturers Association (AFMA)coreOthersBester is a member of AFMA and committed to the principles of good manufacturing practices (GMP) as formulated by AFMA, ensuring compliance with animal feed regulations and standards.
• International Nut and Dried Fruit Council (INC)coreOthersBester Fruit & Nuts is affiliated with INC, the global authority on nuts and dried fruit, providing market intelligence and industry standards.
• Grain Handling Organisation of Southern Africa (GOSA)coreOthersAffiliation with GOSA for grain handling standards and best practices in Southern Africa.
• JSE LimitedcoreOthersBester holds a SAFEX seat on the JSE for commodity derivative trading, enabling price hedging and market access for agricultural commodities.
• Pet Food Industry Association of Southern Africa (PFI)minorOthersAffiliation with PFI for pet food industry standards and market access in Southern Africa.
• South African Cereals and Oilseeds Trade Association (SACOTA)coreOthersAffiliation with SACOTA for cereals and oilseeds trade standards and industry collaboration.
• BextranscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBextrans is an affiliated road transport company specialising in bulk, palletised and containerised commodities throughout South Africa and Africa. Provides market-leading logistical solutions through specialised business units including tipper bulk, flatdeck, tautliner, cross-border, and container divisions.
• Bester Clearing & Forwarding ZambiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternal clearing division based in Zambia dedicated to enhancing service delivery across all trading divisions. Develops customer-centric solutions using innovative technology, expert knowledge, and service excellence for cross-border trading operations.
• BDT AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBDT Africa offers derivative trading services to clients, providing price hedging solutions that suit each client's unique situation. Focuses on commodities traded through SAFEX Agricultural Commodities and Global Commodities Divisions, including local agricultural commodities and foreign referenced commodities.
• TerakaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLevel 2 B-BBEE transport and logistics company specialising in bulk, FMCG, containerised and palletised goods. Established in 2017, provides fast and reliable services for agriculture and minerals & mining markets.
• Treonne Products (Pty) LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBexGroup holds a 50% share in Treonne, an intellectual-capital-driven company producing technologically advanced animal feed products including TreoSOY, TreoSun, Treoblend, and Enhance for the growing animal feed market.
• Bester Fruit & Nuts (BFN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSourcing, processing, and exporting subsidiary handling pecans (in-shell, halves, pieces) and macadamia nuts. Operates Vaalharts Pecan Plant and Hazyview Macadamia Plant with BRCGS certification. Primary focus on Chinese market for pecans, European market for blueberries.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves19 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• AFGRI: South African agricultural services group in grain handling, storage, marketing and inputs. Directly comparable in grain trading, silo storage and producer-facing services in the same territory.
• Senwes: Leading SA grain storage, handling and commodity marketing group. Overlaps closely with Bester in grain trading, storage depots and financing to producers.
• NWK Limited: South African agribusiness offering grain handling/storage, trading and farm inputs, competing directly with Bester's core grain and feed-ingredient business.
• VKB Agriculture: SA agricultural group with grain marketing, storage, inputs and processing; a close regional competitor in the same producer and grain-trading value chain.
• Export Trading Group (ETG): Africa-focused integrated agricultural commodity supply-chain company trading grains, oilseeds and fertilizer with cross-border logistics, closely mirroring Bester's model across SADC.

Regional players

• GWK: South African agribusiness in grain handling, storage and inputs operating largely in the Northern Cape/Vaalharts region where Bester also has farming and processing assets.

Broad incumbents

• Louis Dreyfus Company: Global agricultural commodity merchant trading grains, oilseeds and food ingredients; a much larger incumbent overlapping in commodity marketing and hedging.
• Olam Agri: Global agri-business in grains, feed, edible nuts and inputs with strong African operations; overlaps broadly with Bester's trading and nut-export activities.
• Cargill: Global trader and processor of grains, oilseeds and animal feed/nutrition; a broad incumbent in the same commodity and feed-ingredient categories.
• Bunge: Global oilseed and grain merchandiser and processor; overlaps with Bester's grain, oilseed and oilcake trading at far larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BesterFeedAndGrain
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bester-animal-feeds-trading
• Instagraminstagram.com/besteragri

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bester Feed & Grain