Schoeman

What Schoeman does

Schoeman Group (legally Schoeman Boerdery Private Company) is a third-generation, family-owned South African agricultural enterprise founded in 1919 and headquartered at Farm Witklip in Delmas, Mpumalanga. It operates a diversified farming and processing portfolio across 12,600+ hectares: 1,500ha of export citrus (seedless and seeded lemons, Valencia, navels, mandarins) on Moosrivier in the Groblersdal/Marble Hall area, 9,400ha of grain (yellow and white maize, soya beans, small white beans) on the Highveld around Delmas, and 1,700ha of irrigated double-cropped wheat/maize, lucerne, and pecan nuts on the Zoetwater farm on the Orange River in the Northern Cape. Vertically integrated infrastructure includes an 18 tons-per-hour small white bean cleaning plant in Delmas, a 52,800-ton silo complex, and a majority stake in Trifert fertiliser.

The company monetises through B2B commodity sales: it is the main supplier of small white canning beans to South Africa's canning industry, sells maize and soya via its own silo and storage services, and exports citrus through seven named partners (Core Fruit, Van Doorn Citrus, Twente Partners, Zest Fruit, Pure Legacy, San Miguel, Joy Wing Mau) into EU, Russia, Middle East, UK, Canada, China, and Far East markets. Distribution combines direct-to-canner delivery, multi-partner export, and contract farming with 200+ South African small white bean farmers under the Zamukele programme. Social-investment programmes (Broad-Based Livelihoods with SocioTech, Zamukele) support emerging farmers and rural communities, targeting 10,000 households by 2025.

Schoeman employs 903 permanent staff (rising to ~2,000 at harvest) and is led by Chairman Kallie Schoeman, with non-family CFO Dirk Wolfaardt (joined 2019) and divisional CEOs Hendrik Schoeman (Citrus), Brent Parrott (Highveld Grain), and HS van der Linde (Beans, appointed May 2021). Revenue is not publicly disclosed; the company is privately held and has not raised external funding rounds.

Name

Schoeman

Legal name

Schoeman Boerdery Private Company

Website

https://schoemangroup.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

1919

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Schoeman Group is a third-generation South African family-owned agricultural enterprise producing export citrus, grains, dry white beans, and pecan nuts across 12,600+ hectares, with vertical processing, silo storage, and global export partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Diversified Agriculture

NAICS

Oilseed and Grain Farming (1111), Dry Pea and Bean Farming (11113)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Wholesale-Farm Product Raw Materials (5150)

akta.pro primary industry

Harvesting & Combining Services (Grain, Oilseed, Row Crop) (AFACAAAD)

Keywords

• Citrus farming operations
• Grain production services
• Small white bean processing
• Agricultural export services
• Pecan nut production

Headquarters

HQ city

Johannesburg

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Citrus Production and Export: Schoeman farms 1,500ha of citrus on Moosrivier in the Groblersdal/Marble Hall area, producing lemons, Valencia oranges, and mandarins primarily for the high-value export market. The company exports globally to markets including EU, Russia, Middle East, China, and Far East.
2. Grain Production: Production of yellow and white maize, soya beans, and small white beans on 9,400ha in the Delmas region (Highveld) and 1,700ha Zoetwater farm in Northern Cape under irrigation on the Orange River.
3. Dry White Bean Processing: Cleaning facility in Delmas that cleans and sorts beans before delivering directly to canning factories. The plant employs 50 staff and can produce over 18 tons of canning grade beans per hour. Schoeman is the main supplier of small white canning beans to South Africa's canning industry.
4. Grain Storage Services: Silo complex with 24 maize and soya silos with a capacity of 52,800 tons on Witklip in Delmas. Storage facilities available for farmers in the area.
5. Pecan Nut Production: Pecan nut farming at Zoetwater in Northern Cape. Trees have been pruned into more productive growth form and more trees planted to double the number.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Schoeman Group is a diversified South African agricultural enterprise that farms 1,500ha of citrus (lemons, Valencia oranges, navels, mandarins) at Moosrivier, produces yellow and white maize, soya beans and small white beans on 9,400ha in the Delmas/Highveld region, and grows wheat, maize, lucerne and pecan nuts on the 1,700ha Zoetwater farm in the Northern Cape. The group operates its own 18-ton-per-hour small white bean cleaning plant, a 52,800-ton silo complex, and exports citrus globally through multiple export partners while running a contract farming programme with over 200 farmers.

Product overview

Schoeman is an agricultural company with diversified farming operations. The core products include citrus (lemons, Valencia oranges, navels, mandarins) grown on Moosrivier farm, grain production (maize, soya beans, small white beans) on 9,400ha in the Highveld/Delmas region, and Northern Cape operations (wheat, maize, lucerne, pecan nuts) on the 1,700ha Zoetwater farm. The company operates processing facilities including a small white bean cleaning plant (18 tons/hour capacity) and a silo complex (52,800 tons capacity). Social initiatives include the Zamukele program for emerging dry bean farmers and the Broad-Based Livelihoods program for poverty eradication. Citrus products are exported globally through various partner companies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Citrus (Lemons, Valencia Oranges, Navels, Mandarins) Seedless and seeded lemons, Valencia varieties (Turkey, Midnight, Delta, Late Valencia), navels and Mandarins (Leanri, Orri, Nadorcott) grown on 1,500ha at Moosrivier in the Groblersdal/Marble Hall area, produced primarily for the high-value export market.
• Highveld Grain Production (Yellow and White Maize, Soya Beans, Small White Beans) Production of 6,300ha of yellow and white maize, 2,400ha of soya beans and 600ha of small white beans each season on 9,400ha in the Delmas region, sold into South African markets.
• Northern Cape Crop Production (Wheat, Maize, Lucerne) Double-cropping production of wheat (harvested early December) and maize under no-till on the 1,700ha Zoetwater farm under irrigation on the Orange River, with lucerne also produced for export to China and Arabia.
• Pecan Nuts Pecan nut production at the Zoetwater farm in the Northern Cape, with trees managed into more productive growth forms and additional plantings to expand output.
• Small White Bean Cleaning and Sorting Service Bean cleaning and sorting service at the Delmas facility that processes and delivers small white beans directly to South African canning factories, with 50 staff and an 18-ton-per-hour canning-grade output capacity. Schoeman is the main supplier of small white canning beans to South Africa's canning industry.
• Grain Storage Services (Silo Complex) Silo complex on Witklip in Delmas offering 52,800 tons of maize and soya storage capacity (24 silos) with sifting and drying facilities, available to area farmers who need grain storage. Two silos are modified to store dry beans.

Quantifiable outcome

• Main supplier of small white canning beans to South African canning industry
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• SocioTechcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015SocioTech implements the Broad-Based Livelihoods (BBL) programme for Schoeman, a poverty eradication initiative empowering communities with sustainable livelihoods. The BBL has been running successfully since 2015 and is expanding towards 100 villages surrounding Schoeman operations.
• TriFertcoreTechnology or IntegrationTriFert supplies fertiliser to contract farmers in the Zamukele programme. Costs are deducted when farmers deliver their beans. TriFert is a Schoeman Group company that extended initial budgets to assist farmers during La Nina weather challenges.
• Laeveld AgrochemsupportingTechnology or IntegrationPartner in Zamukele programme that has developed a spray programme for optimum bean production at correct dosage. Provides expert knowledge in bean production and cultivation.
• Agri TechnovationsupportingTechnology or IntegrationPartner in Zamukele programme providing leaf nutrition recommendations, soil samples, and fertiliser recommendations to contract farmers.
• PannarsupportingTechnology or IntegrationProvides seed discounts to Zamukele programme farmers and assistance during crop failure situations.
• ClemenGoldsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchoeman has partnered with ClemenGold brand for certain citrus products, attracting partnerships with well-known brands alongside consistent quality and reliability.
• UMSIZUcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUMSIZU-STI initiative partners with Schoeman's BBL (Broad-Based Livelihoods) programme at Moosrivier for poverty eradication and community development.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Senwes: Senwes is one of the largest South African agricultural companies, operating grain storage, handling, and input supply across the Highveld region. Directly overlaps with Schoeman's Delmas-area grain operations and silo infrastructure.
• Afgri: Afgri is a major South African agribusiness providing grain storage, handling, processing, and financing services. Comparable to Schoeman through its grain handling/storage footprint, farmer-supplier relationships, and storage-as-service model that overlaps with Schoeman's silo complex.
• NWK (Noordwes Koöperasie): NWK is a major South African agricultural cooperative with grain storage, input supply, and farming operations across the North West and surrounding regions. Comparable through its grain handling infrastructure and farmer services that overlap with Schoeman's Highveld model.
• Tongaat Hulett: Tongaat Hulett is a South African agribusiness with sugar, starch, and citrus operations including significant citrus exports. Comparable through South African roots, citrus export orientation, and vertically integrated farming, though currently in business rescue.

Direct peers

• Karsten Group: Karsten Group is a South African diversified agricultural business producing table grapes, citrus, dates, and other crops with vertically integrated packing and export operations. Comparable to Schoeman in family ownership, crop diversification, and export-led model.
• ZZ2: ZZ2 is a South African family-owned diversified farming operation producing tomatoes, avocados, citrus, mangoes, and other crops across thousands of hectares. Like Schoeman, it combines large-scale production with vertical integration and export orientation, making it the closest direct comparable.
• Capespan: Capespan is a South African fresh produce group that grows, packs, and exports citrus, grapes, and other fruit globally. Comparable to Schoeman through its citrus export focus, multi-region customer base, and integrated production-to-export value chain.

Regional players

• Klein Karoo International: Klein Karoo International is a South African agricultural group with lucerne, ostrich, and seed production and global export focus. Comparable to Schoeman through South African agricultural production, irrigation-based operations, and export distribution model.

Others

• Cargill: Cargill is a global agribusiness with grain origination, processing, and trading operations across major producing regions. Comparable to Schoeman as an adjacent ecosystem participant in grain handling and commodity supply chains.
• Louis Dreyfus Company: Louis Dreyfus Company is a global commodity merchandiser and processor with significant grain, oilseed, and citrus operations. Comparable to Schoeman as an indirect peer through exposure to the same commodity categories (maize, soya, citrus) in global trade flows.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/schoeman-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Schoeman