Project SunRise Oils — Company Overview
The corporate profile, vision, mission and values, the operating footprint, existing operating capability, ownership and governance underpinning Project SunRise Oils.
Section 2 · Business Plan
Company Overview
The corporate profile, vision, mission and values, the operating footprint, existing operating capability, ownership and governance underpinning Project SunRise Oils.
2.1 Corporate Profile
Project SunRise Oils (Pty) Ltd is a South African private company
incorporated under the Companies Act, 2008 (Act 71 of 2008), with its
registered office in Johannesburg and its primary processing operations
located within the Free State / North West agro-industrial corridor. The
Company is structured as a vertically integrated agri-processing
platform, focused on the conversion of sunflower seed into crude and
refined edible oil, alongside the production of sunflower oilcake for
animal-feed markets.
The business model has been deliberately designed to mirror — and
improve upon — the operating template of established South African
players such as Central Edible Oils (CEOCO), AGFRI, Epko Oil Seed
Crushing, and Senwes, while adding a stronger downstream consumer-facing
dimension and a deeper commitment to farmer-supply integration. The
Company is fully tax-resident in South Africa, complies with the
Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Act, and is committed to
achieving and maintaining at least a Level 4 contributor status by Year
3 of the expansion.
Corporate Snapshot
2.2 Vision, Mission and Values
Vision
To be Southern Africa’s most trusted vertically integrated sunflower
oil platform — feeding households, building feed-protein resilience, and
creating durable economic opportunity for the farmers and communities
that grow with us.
Mission
We exist to transform South African sunflower seed into safe,
high-quality edible oil and feed-grade by-products, replacing imports,
expanding regional exports, and embedding farmers, processors, and
consumers in a transparent and equitable value chain.
Core Values
- Quality without compromise — every batch is FSSC 22000 traceable,
end-to-end. - Partnership with the farmer — we win when the grower wins; we
contract to share risk and reward. - Operational excellence — we measure ourselves against global
benchmarks for yield, energy and safety. - Stewardship — we treat every kilowatt-hour, every litre of water,
and every tonne of meal as accountable. - Transparency — clear pricing, clear specifications, clear
governance for capital partners and customers.
2.3 Operating Footprint
The Company’s primary operating site is strategically located within
South Africa’s sunflower belt, in close proximity to the dominant
production regions of the Free State and North West. The Free State
alone accounts for approximately 62.3% of national sunflower seed
production, and together with North West and Limpopo it constitutes
roughly 86% of national output. This placement materially reduces
inbound freight cost (the largest variable in seed-to-plant economics)
and de-risks the procurement window during the harvest peak between
February and June.
2.4 Existing Operating Capability
In its current configuration, the Company operates a 120,000 MT/year
mechanical-and-solvent crushing line, with on-site silo storage of
32,000 MT, a single bottling line with annual throughput of 22 million
litres, and a contracted distribution network covering Gauteng,
KwaZulu-Natal, and the Western Cape. Operations are FSSC 22000 certified
and ISO 9001 aligned, with established quality-control and traceability
systems.
Current Operational Metrics (Pre-expansion)
| Metric | Current | Comment / Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Crushing capacity | 120,000 MT/yr | Approximately 17% of national throughput |
| Capacity utilisation | 82% | Above industry average of 70–75% |
| Oil extraction rate | 37.5% | In line with the 38% benchmark for sunflower seed |
| Oilcake yield | 55% | Standard yield, sold into feed market |
| Refining capacity | Limited | Currently outsourced to third-party refiners |
| Bottling capacity | 22 ML/yr | Single line, single shift |
| Energy intensity | 295 kWh/MT | Industry benchmark 250–280 kWh/MT (target post-expansion) |
| Safety record | 0.78 LTIFR | Better than 1.4 SA F&B average |
2.5 Ownership and Governance
The Company is currently held by its founding promoters and a small
group of strategic agricultural-sector shareholders. Post-expansion, the
proposed shareholding will reflect the participation of an institutional
growth-equity sponsor and, potentially, a development finance
institution (DFI) taking a minority strategic stake.
Pro-forma Shareholding (Post-raise)
| Shareholder Class | % Equity | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Founding promoters & management | 44% | Operational leadership, deep agronomy network |
| Growth-equity sponsor (institutional) | 32% | Capital, governance, scale-up expertise |
| Development finance institution (DFI) | 12% | Patient capital, ESG / impact alignment |
| B-BBEE consortium / employee trust | 8% | Empowerment, workforce alignment |
| Strategic agri partner (offtaker) | 4% | Seed supply, distribution synergies |
2.6 Governance Framework
The Company will be governed by a seven-member Board of Directors,
with majority independent representation. A standing Audit & Risk
Committee, Remuneration & Nominations Committee, and Investment
Committee will be established at funding close, in line with King IV
principles of corporate governance. Board oversight will extend to ESG
performance through a dedicated Sustainability Committee chaired by an
independent non-executive director.
- Board: 7 members — 4 independent non-executive, 2 executive (CEO,
CFO), 1 sponsor-nominated. - Audit & Risk Committee: chaired by an independent CA(SA),
meets quarterly. - Remuneration & Nominations Committee: independent chair,
meets at least bi-annually. - Investment & Capital Committee: reviews all CAPEX > ZAR 5
million. - Sustainability & ESG Committee: oversees climate, water,
social and B-BBEE performance.
Confidential — this business plan is provided to prospective investors and lenders for evaluation purposes only and may not be reproduced or distributed without the written consent of Project SunRise Oils (Pty) Ltd.