ABOUT US

 

So African Consulting CC, now trading as So African Natrual Oils (SANO) was founded in 2007. The company has been involved in research and development in to the commercialization of cold-pressed seed oils from a Southern African perspective for almost a decade now.

 

After numerous small scales production and pilot plants, consultation with existing seed oil manufacturers, rural organizations and customers, the company believes they have the best combination of cutting edge technology and sustainable solutions to offer the global market products of the highest quality.

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The company has partnered up with local organizations and co-operatives and developed expertise in wild harvesting protocols, rural community supply chains, track and trace systems, world class seed drying & storage techniques and cold-pressed oil processing technology. 

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The company is passionate about the opportunity to create employment in rural areas, which are struggling socio-economically, and plans to do this in a responsible manner and has a long term commitment to managing its environment sustainably.   

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SANO has invested in innovative green technology whereby they can capatilize on their green biomass by-product to power their operation, but more significantly they can reduce their carbon footprint on the environment.

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So African Natural Oils is a member of the Organic Trade Association and has its organic certification through Ecocert SA, and has NOP and EU certification.                  

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COMMUNITY BENEFITS

 

Even though, the core business of the operation was originally grape seed oil production, where raw materials are bought in from large wineries, the company is committed to source & train labour from the community thereby improving their social and economic conditions.

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Our procurement methods  support the economic growth of the communities in the poorest  and most remote regions of Southern Africa.

 

We source our raw materials from co-operatives and companies that employ and provides income to, in most incidences women in these communities, that gather, collect and process these raw materials.
 

Furthermore, we carefully source our seeds and oils  from supply chains that guarantee the sustainability of wild harvested trees and subsitence farmers in an ethical and sustainable manner.

 

Working with these communities, we bring much needed social and economic relief, and it is our ultimate goal to support as many of these villages and communities as possible.

GROWTH PLAN

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SANO is expanding its operation with a brand new state of the art grape seed oil production facility in Vredendal, South Africa. Vredendal is the located 300km north of Cape Town, in the Olifant's River Wine Region, South Africa's second largest wine producing region.

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SANO has signed a six year supply agreement with Namaqua Wines, South Africa's largest wine producer, for the exclusive supply of their grape seeds post wine-making.

 

This secure supply agreement would make SANO the largest producer of grape seed oil in South Africa, and estimates an annual production of 400 tons of cold-pressed grape seed oil and 3,000 tons of renewable energy biomass pellets.

 

The operation will perform a vital service to the South African Wine Industry by recovering and transforming the industry’s residuals into value-added products for local and export markets. In doing so they solve a major waste disposal and environmental issue as well as adding to the long-term sustainability and resilience of the South African Wine Industry.