FoodBev SETA

What FoodBev SETA does

FoodBev SETA (legal name: FoodBev Manufacturing SETA) is a Schedule 3A Public Entity established under the South African Skills Development Act 97 of 1998, serving as the sole Sector Education and Training Authority for the food and beverages manufacturing sector. As one of 21 nationally mandated SETAs, it operates under the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and is funded through a 1% skills development levy collected by SARS from employers with wage bills above R500,000. The organisation is structured around five sub-sector chambers: Processed and Preserved Food, Dairy, Breakfast Foods, Food Preparation Products, and Beverages, each led by industry committees.

Its core offerings divide into three categories. First, grant funding: mandatory grants (20% of levies, paid quarterly to compliant employers who submit Workplace Skills Plans and Annual Training Reports) and discretionary grants allocated through open funding windows covering learnerships, apprenticeships, bursaries, skills programmes, internships, artisan development, RPL, AET, and work-integrated learning. Second, qualifications and accreditation services managed in partnership with the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), including occupational qualification development, training provider accreditation, moderation, certification, and administration of External Integrated Summative Assessment (EISA) examinations. Third, executive education through partnerships with the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) for the Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration (IEDP) and Advanced Diploma in General Management (IMDP), and with Duke University for international executive development.

The technology stack centres on the SIMS/Indicium Stakeholder Information Management System (sims.foodbev.co.za) for employer registration, WSP/ATR submission, learner enrollment tracking, and grant application workflows. Distribution occurs through Skills Development Facilitators, QCTO-accredited training providers, TVET and CET colleges, sub-sector chambers, and direct SMME market-access programmes (e.g., Africa Food Show participation, Duke IEDP). The organisation employs 11-50 staff at its Rivonia, Johannesburg headquarters and reports no revenue figures publicly, consistent with its public-entity status. All services are provided free of charge at point of use, with the organisation operating as a non-profit mandated by statute.

Name

FoodBev SETA

Legal name

FoodBev Manufacturing SETA

Website

https://foodbev.co.za

Company type

Public

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

FoodBev SETA is a South African government public entity that funds and manages skills development, occupational qualifications, and grants for the food and beverages manufacturing sector through mandatory employer levies and discretionary grant programmes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) — Skills Development and Workforce Funding

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Assessment, Certification & Qualifications Frameworks (BPADAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Certification Program Administration & Scheme Management (Standard Owners) (AFALACAC), Supplier Approval, Verification & Food Safety Risk Management (GFSI-aligned) (AFALADAH)

Keywords

• Skills development authority
• Occupational qualifications
• Grant funding administration
• Sector education training
• Learnership programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

Johannesburg

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Skills Development Levies Collection: FoodBev SETA collects a 1% skills development levy from employers with wage bills above R500,000, as mandated under the Skills Development Levies Act. These levies are collected by SARS and redistributed to SETAs for skills development activities.
2. Mandatory Grants Disbursement: Mandatory grants are paid quarterly to qualifying levy-paying employers who submit WSPs and ATRs. Calculated as 20% of total levies received from SARS (01 April 2023 to 31 March 2024). The grants are non-taxable and must be used solely for employee training and development.
3. Discretionary Grants Disbursement: Funds allocated to encourage or support education, training, skills development, and other food and beverage manufacturing skills development activities. Includes PIVOTAL and non-PIVOTAL programmes, learnerships, internships, bursaries, skills programmes, and special projects. Administered through open funding windows.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

FoodBev SETA is a government-mandated Sector Education and Training Authority that facilitates skills development, funding, and occupational qualifications for the South African food and beverages manufacturing sector. It collects a 1% skills development levy from qualifying employers (via SARS), disburses mandatory grants (20% of levies) and discretionary grants for learnerships, bursaries, skills programmes, and special projects, and administers EISA assessments and QCTO-aligned occupational qualifications in partnership with accredited training providers and TVET colleges.

Product overview

FoodBev Manufacturing SETA is a South African government body (Schedule 3A Public Entity) mandated under the Skills Development Act to facilitate skills development within the food and beverage manufacturing sector. The organisation operates five sub-sector Chambers covering Processed and Preserved Food, Dairy, Breakfast Foods, Food Preparation Products, and Beverages. Its core offerings consist of Mandatory and Discretionary Grants for skills development, Qualifications and Accreditation Services, Research and Skills Planning, and EISA assessments. Training programmes include Learnerships, Skills Programmes, Bursaries, Artisan/RPL programmes, AET, and Work-Integrated Learning. The organisation also offers management development programmes (IMDP and IEDP) in partnership with GIBS. All services are accessible through the Stakeholder Portal (SIMS).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mandatory Grants
• Discretionary Grants
• Qualifications and Accreditation Services
• EISA (External Integrated Summative Assessment)
• Research and Skills Planning Unit
• IEDP (International Executive Development Programme)
• IMDP (Intermediate Management Development Programme)
• Learnerships
• Skills Programmes
• Bursaries
• Artisan Development and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
• Adult Education and Training (AET)
• Work-Integrated Learning (WIL)
• Special Projects
• Stakeholder Portal (SIMS)

Quantifiable outcome

• Learners trained through funded projects (specific figures shown on website but not fully visible)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership with GIBS to deliver the FoodBev Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration Programme (IEDP/PDBA) and FoodBev Advanced Diploma in General Management (IMDP/Adv. Dip). These programmes aim to develop current and future leaders in the food and beverages sector, promoting development of a network of empowered executives. FoodBev covers programme fees and global immersion costs (flights, accommodation, company visits).
• Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent government ministry responsible for oversight of all SETAs in South Africa. DHET appoints the FoodBev SETA Board and provides policy direction through DHET Circulars.
• Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerQCTO serves as the Quality Partner delegated to manage national external assessments (EISA) and qualification development for occupational certificates. FoodBev SETA submits qualification applications to QCTO for approval.
• Duke University (Sitkin School of Business)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerDuke University's Professor Sim Sitkin delivers international module for the International Executive Entrepreneurship Leadership Development Programme, supported by FoodBev SETA. Provides world-class academic content and global business network access.
• South African Revenue Service (SARS)coreOthersSARS collects skills development levies (1% of salary bills) from qualifying employers on behalf of all SETAs. Funds are then redistributed to SETAs for disbursement.
• Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment agency supporting small enterprise development. Mentioned in context of SMME competitions and entrepreneurship support (SEDA Art of Pitch competition).
• Africa Food Show / CTICCsecondaryOthersPartnership providing exhibition platforms for SMME beneficiaries to showcase products at the Africa Food Show 2025 held at CTICC (Cape Town International Convention Centre). Creates market access opportunities for supported SMMEs.
• National TreasurycoreOthersGovernment oversight body. Entities blacklisted by National Treasury are ineligible for FoodBev SETA funding partnerships.
• TVET CollegescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTechnical and Vocational Education and Training colleges serve as delivery partners for skills programmes and learnerships. FoodBev SETA provides TVET support through special projects funding.
• CET (Community Education and Training) CollegessecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCET colleges supported through FoodBev SETA special projects funding framework for community skills development.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services SETA (merSETA): Another South African SETA operating under the same Skills Development Act framework with analogous mandatory/discretionary grant structures, levy collection mechanisms, and sector-specific chamber organization. The closest direct peer given shared mandate structure and stakeholder model.
• Education, Training and Development Practices SETA (ETDP-SETA): South African SETA covering the broader education and training sector itself, sharing the SETA legislative framework and providing useful peer benchmark for training-provider accreditation processes.
• Agriculture SETA (AgriSETA): South African SETA responsible for skills development in the agricultural sector, sharing the same Skills Development Act mandate, levy funding mechanism, and five-year board appointment cycle.
• Services SETA: South African SETA covering the services sector under the same legislative framework with comparable levy-driven funding, mandatory grants, and QCTO-aligned occupational qualification management. Closely analogous governance and operational structure.
• Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority (CHIETA): Sector-specific SETA for the chemical industries with identical levy-funded grant structure, QCTO occupational qualification management, and sub-sector chamber organization.
• Tourism, Hospitality and Sport SETA (THETA): South African SETA covering hospitality-adjacent sectors, sharing the same SETA governance framework, mandatory grant mechanics, and stakeholder management approach.
• Wholesale and Retail SETA: South African SETA serving the wholesale and retail sector, sharing the same mandate structure for skills development, levy collection from SARS, and stakeholder engagement through SIMS-equivalent portals.
• Banking Sector Education and Training Authority (BANKSETA): South African SETA for the banking sector with identical mandate structure, levy funding, and stakeholder portal operations. Provides a benchmark for SETA digital infrastructure and grant administration efficiency.

Broad incumbents

• Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO): South Africa's overarching quality partner for occupational qualifications and EISA assessments. FoodBev SETA submits all qualification applications to QCTO, making it a key upstream/downstream institutional peer within the same skills ecosystem.

Others

• Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET): Parent ministry that appoints FoodBev SETA's board, issues policy circulars, and approves sector skills plans. Not a peer in operational terms but the primary institutional stakeholder and governance relationship.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/FoodBevseta
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/foodbevseta/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/FoodBevSETAza
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/foodbev-seta
• Instagraminstagram.com/foodbevseta

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 FoodBev SETA