DURBAN - The 5th April 2019 will mark the launch of a successful public-private partnership investment project and herald the opening of the world’s second largest refrigeration plant and the biggest food processing operation in the Southern hemisphere.
This investment of R400 million will stimulate real economic growth in the province of Gauteng, create over 600 direct and sustain a further 5000 jobs throughout the agricultural value chain.
The state-of-the-art In2Foods Group factory is 22 708 m² in size and is located on 3.5 ha of land located on the northern precinct of the OR Tambo International Airport Special Economic Zone.
The Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) played a major role in providing funding for the project. The prime location of the OR Tambo Special Economic Zone (SEZ), adjacent to the OR Tambo International Airport, places In2Foods Group at the heart of Africa’s best transport and logistics hub.
Through its designated SEZ, the Gauteng IDZ Development Company has access to significant investment incentives packaged at national government for investors and companies located in an SEZ. In2Food’s new plant has been developed to the quality specifications of Woolworths, whom it has been supplying for over 28 years. In2Food will also be exporting their products to other markets such as the UK.
The GGDA, through its subsidiary, Gauteng IDZ Company has made significant strides in attracting investments to the OR Tambo SEZ, primarily focused in the aviation, agro-food processing, jewellery, electronics and pharmaceutical industries.
Skills development initiatives have been introduced to allow for broad participation by individuals and communities to take advantage of investment growth in the OR Tambo SEZ.
"In the last five years, the province of Gauteng attracted foreign direct investment to the tune of R 199 billion and created more than 30 000 jobs," said Gauteng Premier David Makhura during his 2019 budget speech.