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Tiger Brands and the University of the Free State partner to strengthen South Africa's agricultural value chain. Johannesburg, 10 September 2026. Tiger Brands and the University of the Free State's (UFS) Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences have entered a three-year strategic partnership aimed at strengthening the productivity, sustainability and competitiveness of South Africa's agricultural value chain. The partnership brings together UFS's research expertise and Tiger Brands' experience across the food value chain to develop practical, science-based solutions that support local agricultural production. From left: Werna Oberholzer, Chief Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, Tiger Brands; Praveen Balgobind, Chief Manufacturing Officer, Tiger Brands; Professor Vasu Reddy: Deputy Vice Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies, University of the Free State; Tjaart Kruger, CEO Tiger Brands; and Professor Paul Oberholster, University of the Free State. The collaboration complements Tiger Brands' partnership with Stellenbosch University's Faculty of AgriSciences and forms part of the company's broader sustainable sourcing agenda. "South Africa needs a strong agricultural sector if we are going to produce enough to support food security, remain globally competitive and continue giving consumers access to quality, affordable food," says Tjaart Kruger, CEO of Tiger Brands. "Farmers need sustainable markets, and food manufacturers need reliable, competitive local supply. Partnerships like this allow us to combine academic knowledge with practical industry experience to solve real and complex problems." From the University's perspective, the partnership provides an opportunity to apply academic research to practical challenges across the agricultural value chain. "Universities have an important role to play in addressing the complex challenges facing agriculture, but research has the greatest impact when it responds to real challenges and is translated into solutions that can be implemented on the ground. This partnership creates a platform where the knowledge and expertise of our researchers can be brought together with Tiger Brands' understanding of markets, processing and the food value chain," says Professor Vasu Reddy: Deputy Vice Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies, University of the Free State. More than 90% of Tiger Brands' revenue is derived from food and beverages, while 70% of its agricultural procurement spend in 2025 was directed to local agricultural producers. Strengthening local sourcing resilience and competitiveness is therefore important to both Tiger Brands' business and the long-term security of its agricultural supply. Key commodities in scope for the strategic partnership include sorghum, wheat, small white beans, groundnuts and tomatoes. The company sees considerable opportunity to improve germination, yields, crop quality and processing performance across these crops, while strengthening value-chain economics and sustainable agricultural practices in response to evolving climate, water, pest, disease and pathogen risks. "Our ambition at UFS is to contribute not only to better research outcomes, but to a more productive, resilient and inclusive agricultural sector. By bringing industry, researchers, students and producers closer together, we can accelerate the journey from knowledge to implementation and create value throughout the agricultural value chain," says Professor Reddy. Kruger says industry must look beyond immediate challenges and invest for the longer term to build resilient and competitive. "We cannot think only about the next planting season or production cycle. We need to plan for the challenges and opportunities we will face in five, ten or more years and start preparing for them today. Research can help us understand what we should plant, where we should plant it, and how productivity and resilience can be improved in ways that work for farmers, manufacturers and, ultimately, consumers." "By bringing farmers, academia and industry closer together, we can move research into practice, support local production and contribute to a more resilient food system," says Kruger.

Tiger Brands CEO calls for stronger food value chain. Tiger Brands CEO Tjaart Kruger has called for stronger collaboration across South Africa's food value chain to boost food security and competitiveness. Tiger Brands CEO Tjaard Kruger addressed farmers at the Swartland Show in Moorreesburg in the Western Cape on Friday. Design: Food For Mzansi Tiger Brands CEO Tjaart Kruger has called for a stronger, more connected agricultural and food value chain, warning that South Africa's food security and economic growth depend on producers and processors working together to build a more competitive system. Speaking at the Swartland Show in Moorreesburg, Western Cape on Friday, Kruger used his position at one of the country's largest food manufacturers to reflect on the relationship between agriculture and the broader food industry, arguing that value is created across the entire chain, from the producer through to processing and the consumer. He said the relationship between producers and buyers should not be viewed as a simple transaction, but as part of a broader value chain in which each participant's sustainability matters. "Producers need buyers, and buyers need producers," was a central theme of his presentation, as he highlighted the importance of understanding how value moves through the agricultural economy. For Tiger Brands, this means ensuring that its manufacturing operations remain competitive while maintaining reliable access to agricultural raw materials. Kruger said the company is focused on strengthening its position at key points in the value chain, including improving costs, productivity and food safety. He also stressed the importance of food security, arguing that South Africa cannot take its ability to produce and process food for granted. The resilience of the agricultural sector is therefore closely linked to the resilience of the country's food system. Planning beyond the next season. A recurring message in Kruger's presentation was the need for longer-term thinking. Rather than focusing only on immediate pressures, businesses across the agricultural value chain need plans that look three, four and five years ahead, he said. Such planning allows companies and farmers to prepare for changing market conditions, manage risk and make better investment decisions. That long-term approach is particularly important in agriculture, where producers face risks ranging from weather and input costs to market volatility and changing consumer demand. Kruger also pointed to the importance of diversification and building resilience into business strategies, rather than relying on a single source of income or one set of market conditions. Competitiveness is a shared responsibility. Kruger's remarks also touched on the cost pressures facing businesses and consumers, and the challenge of making South African food production more competitive. He argued that the industry needs to look beyond individual businesses and consider how the entire value chain can become more efficient. For food manufacturers, the cost of agricultural commodities is only one component of the final price. Processing, logistics, labour, energy and other costs all contribute to what consumers ultimately pay. This makes cooperation across the value chain increasingly important, particularly at a time when both producers and consumers are under financial pressure. Kruger also highlighted the role of investment and the need to ensure that South Africa remains an attractive environment for businesses to operate and expand. Agriculture's role in the economy. The Tiger Brands CEO positioned agriculture and food manufacturing as more than separate industries, describing them as interconnected parts of a broader economic system. For farmers, access to viable markets is critical. For food companies, a productive and sustainable agricultural sector is equally important because it provides the raw materials on which processing and manufacturing depend. Kruger's message to the farming audience was therefore ultimately about shared interests: a healthy agricultural sector supports food manufacturers, while a competitive food-processing industry creates markets and adds value to agricultural production. He also spoke about leadership during difficult periods, noting that leadership is relatively easy when conditions are favourable but is tested when budgets come under pressure, circumstances change and people look to their leaders for direction. For farmers facing increasingly complex economic conditions, that may have been one of the presentation's most pertinent messages: resilience is not simply about surviving a difficult season, but about making the decisions and investments needed to remain viable when conditions inevitably change. Kruger's appearance at the Swartland Show offered a perspective from the other side of the farm gate, underscoring the extent to which the fortunes of South African agriculture and the country's food manufacturers are intertwined. READ NEXT: RSVP now: Emerging farmers' programme at Nampo Cape Ivor Price is a multi-award-winning journalist and co-founder of Food For Mzansi.

Tiger Brands backs food security research. Tiger Brands and Stellenbosch University have launched a three-year research partnership aimed at strengthening food security, agricultural resilience and food safety across South Africa. The partnership brings together the university's Faculty of AgriSciences and Tiger Brands' experience across the food value chain to develop practical responses to challenges facing farmers, food producers and consumers. Research will focus on agronomy, agricultural economics and food safety, with particular attention given to improving farm productivity and profitability, strengthening local agricultural value chains and building resilience to climate and economic pressures. Key crops including wheat, oats, sorghum, tomatoes, groundnuts and beans will form part of cross-disciplinary research into agricultural production and regenerative farming systems. Tiger Brands CEO Tjaart Kruger said strengthening South Africa's food system required investment in research capable of delivering practical results. "Building a more resilient food system requires us to think beyond today's challenges and invest in the knowledge and partnerships that will secure future supply," Kruger said. "By combining SU's research excellence with our experience across the food value chain, we have an opportunity to turn research into practical impact that strengthens productivity, competitiveness, and access to quality, affordable food." The collaboration will also invest in postgraduate students and emerging researchers, creating a pipeline of skills needed by South Africa's agricultural and food sectors. Researchers, students, producers and industry professionals will be able to exchange knowledge through lectures, short courses, conferences, seminars and technical collaboration. The work will extend across food science and technology, microbiology, chemistry and good agricultural practices. The agreement builds on an existing relationship between Tiger Brands and Stellenbosch University through the Centre for Food Safety. Stellenbosch University Rector and Vice-Chancellor Professor Deresh Ramjugernath said the partnership demonstrated how universities and businesses could combine their resources to address wider societal challenges. "Tiger Brands' support will enable us not only to advance important research, but also to invest in our students and emerging researchers, strengthen capacity, share knowledge more widely and support education across the food and agricultural sector," Ramjugernath said. Professor Gunnar Sigge, Chair of the Department of Food Science, said the investment would strengthen both research and the skills of graduates entering the workforce. "We believe the confidence that Tiger Brands has in the Department and the Faculty of AgriSciences stems from many years of delivering industry relevant research and solutions based on sound science," Sigge said. "This partnership not only contributes to the food system in South Africa as a whole but enhances the development and skills of our graduates entering the workforce." Professor Pieter Gouws, Director of the Centre for Food Safety, said the partnership could help connect scientific research more directly with challenges facing South Africa's food system. "The initiative will achieve greater social impact to address South African challenges such as agriculture, food safety, food security and sustainability," Gouws said. He added that developing postgraduate students and emerging researchers would help build the next generation of scientific and agricultural leadership. The partnership comes as agriculture faces increasing pressure from climate change, constraints on natural resources and the need to maintain reliable supplies of affordable food. Kruger said those challenges could not be addressed by individual organisations working independently. "No organisation can solve the challenges of climate-change and supply chain competitiveness on its own," he said. "By working together, we can find practical solutions, rooted in scientific rigour, that strengthen South Africa's food system for a more affordable and food-secure future."