Rhodes wins contract to export pears to Walmart US

It began with discussions in Davos, Switzerland, a year ago and resulted in an announcement that Rhodes Food Group will be supplying Walmart US with three variations of canned pears.

This makes the South African canned food company the second local supplier to be listed with Walmart US, as part of Massmart’s new export programme.

The programme stems from discussions that took place at the 2019 World Economic Forum gathering in Davos, between Minister of Trade and Industry Ebrahim Patel and Walmart International CEO Judith McKenna.

The new partnership is also part of Massmart’s supplier development programme, which aims to help local suppliers access global markets.

The Massmart global sourcing team, along with representatives from the Massmart supplier development programme, met with 18 South African suppliers in September 2019. Seven were identified as having “export potential” for Walmart markets.

The others are I&J (abalone and seafood), AVI (Fresh Pack Rooibos tea), Vinimark (wine), Distell (wine), Green Farms Nut Co (macadamia nuts) and Glenart (Christmas crackers).

Says Massmart CEO Mitchel Slape: “I am pleased that this new evolution of the programme leverages Massmart’s relationship with Walmart and its global scale to find opportunities for local suppliers, both big and small, to export to Walmart’s retail markets around the world.”

Rhodes will be exporting 425g cans of pear slices in heavy syrup, 425g cans of pear halves in juice, and 850g cans of pears in heavy syrup.

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