Page 38 - Logistics News - July August 2023

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SPAR YES4YOUTH programme learners.
SPAR Group ups the jobs ante with expansion

of supplier development

IT ONLY takes one look at the latest unemployment statistics to support the growth of local businesses and create employment,”
know that creating sustainable jobs must become the number adds Oliva.
one priority for South Africa today. “Despite the headwinds,
it is critical that corporates find new ways to build and grow Rural Hub model
sustainable jobs,” says Max Oliva, CEO of SPAR Southern Africa. In 2016, The SPAR Group embarked on the journey to develop
and invest in small-scale farmer entrepreneurs. This led to the
Oliva says developing and growing broad supply chains is establishment of the group’s first Rural Hub in Ofcolaco in the
where the best impact on job creation and the real economy will Mopani District of Limpopo.
be felt. The SPAR Supplier Development Programme is aimed at
actively helping introduce more micro and small food suppliers “Our Rural Hub model is intentionally focused on rural
into the large and growing food supply chain, which is often community development and supports small-scale farmers
more focused on securing share for bigger players. by providing guaranteed markets for their products and by
providing relevant technical and food safety training as well as
“Our programme has been specifically designed to ensure facilitating access to funding,” explains Oliva.
that micro and small suppliers have all the tools, knowledge and
access to industry specialists they need to help them grow their However, growing community businesses and creating
businesses and achieve their full potential in the most effective opportunities require funding to match the commitment. “We
and affordable way,” says Oliva. SPAR’s initiatives are constantly have enabled the Rural Hub farmers to produce commercial
evolving to ensure broader sustainable impact in areas like quality and quantities of high-value crops grown under the
agriculture and manufacturing, which is where South Africa can protection of net houses, and have, to date, financed all
accelerate its search for jobs. operational costs and funded the capital assets,” says Oliva.

“By embracing micro and small suppliers within the The SPAR Rural Hub today supports 12 small-scale
agriculture and manufacturing sectors, we are not only living farmers in Limpopo and has created 103 jobs at farm level
The SPAR Group values of entrepreneurship, family values and and 62 secondary jobs at packhouse and technical services
passion, but also adapting to economic change. Having recently level. Notably, a total of 63 percent of the product grown by the
experienced a global pandemic and the impact this has had participating Rural Hub farmers is supplied to SPAR under the
on food retail, customer demands have changed and we need Freshline and Country Value labels and delivered to SPAR South
to remain agile enough to adapt accordingly. This, in turn, will Rand, North Rand and KwaZulu-Natal distribution centres. High-

36 JULY/A U GU S T 2023 www .l o g ist i csn e w s .c o .z a