So Cool Juice Co. — Operations Plan
The manufacturing facility will be located in the Stellenbosch/Paarl corridor of the Western Cape, providing proximity to premium fruit-growing regions (Citrusdal, Ceres Valley, Elgin, Grabouw), major transport corridors (N1 and N2 highways), Cape Town harbour for export logistics, and a skilled workforce…
Section 6 · Business Plan
Operations Plan
The manufacturing facility will be located in the Stellenbosch/Paarl corridor of the Western Cape, providing proximity to premium fruit-growing regions (Citrusdal, Ceres Valley, Elgin, Grabouw), major transport corridors (N1 and N2 highways), Cape Town harbour for export logistics, and a skilled workforce…
Designed to double from 6 million to 12+ million litres of fruit juice at the Western Cape manufacturing facility.
6.1 Manufacturing Facility
The manufacturing facility will be located in the Stellenbosch/Paarl corridor of the Western Cape, providing proximity to premium fruit-growing regions (Citrusdal, Ceres Valley, Elgin, Grabouw), major transport corridors (N1 and N2 highways), Cape Town harbour for export logistics, and a skilled workforce from the surrounding agricultural and food processing communities.
| Parameter | Phase 1 (Year 1–3) | Phase 2 (Year 4–5) |
|---|---|---|
| Floor Area | 2,500 sqm production + 1,000 sqm cold storage + 500 sqm admin | +2,000 sqm expansion |
| Installed Capacity | 6 million litres per annum | 12 million litres per annum |
| Cold Storage | 200 sqm chilled (2–8°C) + 100 sqm frozen (-18°C) | Doubled capacity |
| Workforce | 85 employees | 160 employees |
| Backup Power | 350 kVA generator + 150 kWh battery + solar PV | Expanded solar PV to 50% self-generation |
6.2 Production Process
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Fruit Receiving & Inspection: Incoming fruit quality assessment (Brix levels, acidity, ripeness). Reject rate target: <3%. Cold storage within 2 hours of delivery.
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Washing & Sorting: Automated washing lines with UV treatment. Optical sorting to remove defective fruit. Water recycling system recovering 80%+ of wash water.
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Juice Extraction: Hydraulic press extraction for cold-pressed products. Centrifugal extraction for 100% juice and nectars. Enzymatic treatment for yield optimisation.
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Pasteurisation & Processing: Flash pasteurisation (72°C for 15 seconds) for chilled products. UHT processing for ambient/long-life products. HPP (High Pressure Processing) for premium cold-pressed range.
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Blending & Fortification: Precision blending of fruit juice concentrates and ingredients. Vitamin/mineral fortification per product specifications. Probiotic addition for functional range.
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Filling & Packaging: Aseptic filling for Tetra Pak and PET bottles. Hot-fill capability for glass bottles. Cold-fill for HPP products. Automated labelling and date coding.
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Quality Control & Dispatch: Microbiological testing, Brix validation, sensory evaluation. 48-hour quarantine hold. Cold-chain dispatch with temperature monitoring.
Figure 6.1: Production Volume Ramp-Up and Capacity Utilisation. Note: Year 4–5 reflects Phase 2 expansion to 12M litre capacity.
6.3 Supply Chain Management
So Cool Juice Co. will establish long-term supply agreements with at least 15 fruit farms across the Western Cape, supplemented by spot purchases from the Cape Town Fresh Produce Market during peak season. The Company will implement a dual-sourcing strategy for all packaging materials (Tetra Pak, PET preforms, glass bottles, labels) with minimum 60-day safety stock. Cold-chain integrity will be maintained through temperature-controlled transport partnerships with Vector Logistics and Imperial Cold Logistics.
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