Whether you are a grower, breeder, marketer or retailer TopFruit can assist you by effectively and efficiently optimising the success of your business with our passionate and experienced team.
Team
Rob Meihuizen - CEO TopFruit Group of Companies
Qualification: BSc Chemical Engineering, UCT, 1988.
Areas of responsibility: CEO TopFruit Group of Companies
Hein Coetzee - Managing Director
Qualification: MSC Agric (Horticulture), 1998; MBA, University of Stellenbosch, 2019.
Areas of responsibility: Managing Director
Etienne Duvenage - Financial Director
Qualification: CA(SA), MBA, University of Stellenbosch, 2018.
Areas of responsibility: Financial Director
André Agenbag - Viticulturist
Qualification: BSc Agric Viticulture & Soil Science, University of Stellenbosch, 2018.
Areas of responsibility: Technical/Viticultural support to growers. Grower liaison with regard to protocol implementation and growing standards.
Stuart Amos - Plant Material Manager
Qualification: BTECH Horticulture, Unisa 2016; Project Management, UCT, 2020.
Areas of responsibility: Management of the Plant Material Business Unit. Manage the importation of all plant material, including, plant improvement and compliance with the Certification Scheme. Manage the Foundation Nursery as well as relationships with commercial nurseries.
Karin Bence - Business Coordinator
Qualification: Certificate in Secretarial Studies & Public Relations, Rapid Results College 1992, Advanced Certificate for the Executive Personal Assistant, Business Management Training Group (UK) 2015.
Areas of responsibility: Business Liaison & Coordinator for International Pink Lady® Alliance and TopStar Alliance.
Nicole Beneke - Pome Fruit Intern
Qualification: BSc Agricultural Economic Analysis and Management, Stellenbosch University, 2023.
Areas of responsibility: Pome Fruit Intern
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Morné Bester - Viticulturist
Qualification: BSc in Soil Science and Agronomy, AVCASA member, 2019.
Areas of responsibility: Technical/Viticultural support to growers. Grower liaison with regard to protocol implementation and growing standards.
Rika Beukes - Systems and IT
Areas of responsibility: Administration and development of TopFruit's information systems.
Dihan Blom - Pome Fruit Technical Manager
Qualification: B Agric Horticulture and Agronomy, Stellenbosch University, 2018. AVCASA 2018.
Areas of responsibility: Pre-harvest and post-harvest technical management of pome fruit varieties. Manage quality standards and provide technical support for all commercial pome fruit varieties. Evaluation, promotion, and assistance with commercialisation for all new pome fruit varieties.
Melissa Brandt - Financial Manager
Qualification: BCompt Honours, Unisa, 2010.
Areas of responsibility: Responsible for overseeing and management of all the financial activities of the organisation.
Bianca Conradie - Table Grape Operations Coordinator
Qualification: Certificate in VAT practices; Certificate in Accounting to Trail Balance; Xero Advisor certification.
Areas of responsibility: Management and coordination of the Table Grape Business Unit. Relationship management with growers, exporters and breeders.
Xolela Dlikilili - Pome Fruit Analyst
Qualification: Masters in Agricultural Economics, University of Stellenbosch, 2018.
Areas of responsibility: Responsible for African Market Development and Liaison with importers in the African Territory & Islands for Pink Lady® and JOYA® apples. Processing, analysing, and reporting on the data for the commercialised pome fruit varieties within the Business Unit.
Corné Grundlingh - Pome Fruit Business Unit Manager
Qualification: Post Graduate Diploma in Intellectual Property Law, University of Stellenbosch, 2021.
Areas of responsibility: Management of the Pome Fruit Business Unit. Management of all commercial varieties including all aspects with regards to licensing and agreements of the commercial varieties, liaising with growers and industry role-players. Pink Lady® & JOYA® South Africa Management and Licensing Matters.
Bryan Hughes - Commercial Manager
Qualification: BCom Marketing Management, Unisa, 2010.
Areas of responsibility: Responsible for managing the Stone Fruit Business Unit and the Jazz™ and Envy™ program.
Ben Janse van Vuuren - Maintenance Manager
Areas of responsibility: Maintenance of all farming equipment and buildings.
Hendrien Janse van Vuuren - Plant Material Administrator
Areas of responsibility: Administration of Plant Material Business Unit, including nursery support and tree sales / block information updates.
AJ Jansen van Vuuren - Table Grape Manager
Qualification: B.Agric Horticulture, University of Stellenbosch, 2010. B.Agric Honours, University of the Free State, 2018.
Areas of responsibility: Management of the Table Grape Business Unit. Promotion and commercialisation of new varieties and the licensing thereof, grower and exporter liaison and plant material management.
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Zandré Johnson - Financial Accountant
Qualification: National Certificate in Financial Management, Boland College, 2008
Areas of responsibility: Responsible for the processing of the accounting and financial activities of the organisation.
Mzamo Madubedube - Technical Assistant
Qualification: N3 Business Studies: ACC/Admin, Boland College, 2008.
Areas of responsibility: Evaluator of table grape varieties and day-to-day management of test block and foundation facilities.
Liza Matthews - Marketing Manager
Qualification: B-Tech Degree Management, Technikon SA, 2001; Post Graduate Diploma Management in Marketing, UCT, 2016.
Areas of responsibility: Marketing of TopFruit and company managed brands.
Herschelle Mentoor - Marketing Coordinator
Qualification: Higher Certificate in Import and Export Management, Intec College, 2015; BCom Marketing Management, Unisa, 2021; Bcom Honours in Business Management, Unisa, 2024.
Areas of responsibility: Assisting in the Marketing Business Unit.
Jason Minnaar - Stone Fruit Technical
Qualification: Diploma in Horticulture and Viticulture, Elsenburg, 2018; Advanced Diploma in Agriscience, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2023.
Areas of responsibility: Promotion and technical support with commercialisation of all new stone varieties. Identifying new stone fruit varieties to import and the evalutions thereof.
Jermaine Pietersen - Junior Plant Improvement Officer
Areas of responsibility: Phytosanitary inspections and material collection of TopFruit managed varieties as well as the day-to-day running of the nucleus source.
Monique Swarts - Secretary
Qualification: Human Resource Management Certification N6, Boland College, 2018.
Areas of responsibility: Receptionist and EXCO secretary.
Altus Treurnicht - Berry Technical Manager
Qualification: BSc Agric Horticulture & Plant Pathology, Stellenbosch University, 2016; AVCASA 2020
Areas of responsibility: Technical Manager of the Berry Business Unit.
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Larissa van der Vyver - Viticulturist
Qualification: MSc Viticulture (Table Grapes), University of Stellenbosch, 2016.
Areas of responsibility: Technical/Viticultural support to growers. Grower liaison with regard to protocol implementation and growing standards.
Tania Viljoen - Assistant Marketing Manager
Qualification: BA Communication (Media Studies & Journalism), University of the Free State, 2011; Social Media Marketing short course, UCT, 2018; Graphic Design short course, UCT, 2019.
Areas of responsibility: Assist the Marketing Manager by managing marketing campaigns for select brands within the unit. Includes full management of the Pink Lady® brand in the territory.
Theresa Wilbers - Administrator
Qualification: Secretarial Certification, Worcester College, 1993
Areas of responsibility: Administration of the Berry and Kiwifruit Business Units.
Amber Williams - Marketing Coordinator
Qualification: Bachelor of Arts (Humanities) , Stellenbosch University, 2021; Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing, Stellenbosch University, 2022.
Areas of responsibility: Administration and assistance in the Marketing Business Unit
Pieter Zietsman - Berry Manager
Qualification: Hons BSc. Agric, University of Stellenbosch, 1990.
Areas of responsibility: Manager of Berry Business Unit.
