Evergreen Valley Avocado Estates (Pty) Ltd Business Plan › Ownership, Governance & Management

4.1 Shareholding Structure

The founding shareholders will contribute R35 million in equity capital, representing 50% of the total R70 million funding requirement. The remaining R35 million will be sourced through debt financing from development finance institutions and agricultural lenders.

4.2 Board of Directors

The Board will comprise the four founding shareholders together with one independent non-executive director with expertise in agricultural commodities and international trade. Board meetings will be held quarterly, with an annual strategy review session. An Audit and Risk Committee, chaired by the independent director, will oversee financial reporting and risk management.

4.3 Management Team

Mandela Khumalo — Managing Director

Mr Khumalo brings 15 years of experience in agribusiness investment and agricultural supply chain management. He has structured and executed multiple agricultural development transactions across Southern Africa and holds an MBA from the University of Pretoria’s Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS). He will be responsible for overall strategic direction, investor relations, and commercial partnerships.

Pieter Grobler — Agricultural Director

Mr Grobler is a qualified horticulturist with over 20 years of hands-on experience in subtropical fruit farming, including 12 years specifically in avocado orchard management in the Limpopo and Mpumalanga regions. He holds a B.Sc. Agriculture (Horticulture) from the University of Stellenbosch and has managed orchards exceeding 500 hectares. He will oversee all agronomic operations, orchard development, and production management.

Nokuthula Dlamini — Finance Director

Ms Dlamini is a Chartered Accountant CA(SA) with extensive experience in agribusiness finance, having spent eight years in the agricultural and food sector advisory practice of a Big 4 professional services firm. She holds a B.Com Honours (Accounting) from the University of the Witwatersrand. She will be responsible for financial management, management reporting, treasury, tax compliance, and stakeholder reporting.

Richard van Heerden — Strategic Investor

Mr van Heerden is a seasoned agricultural investor with a portfolio of interests in fresh produce export businesses across Southern Africa. He brings deep networks within the South African fresh produce export value chain, including relationships with major packhouses and international buyers. He will serve as a non-executive advisor and will provide strategic guidance on market development and export logistics.

4.4 Organisational Structure

At full operational capacity (Year 5), the Company anticipates employing approximately 45 permanent staff members and up to 200 seasonal workers during the harvest period (March–September). The organisational structure will include the following functional departments:

• Executive Management (Managing Director, Agricultural Director, Finance Director)

• Farm Operations (Farm Manager, Irrigation Technician, Pest & Disease Specialist, Supervisors)

• Finance and Administration (Financial Manager, Bookkeeper, Payroll Administrator, Procurement)

• Human Resources and Compliance (HR Manager, Health & Safety Officer)

• Sales and Logistics (Sales Manager, Logistics Coordinator)

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