We are situated in Humansdorp, right in the heart of the Eastern Cape's Dairy region and along the South African Garden Route.
Our company, which has a staff complement of 400+, prides itself in its innovative thinking, speedy development of new products and excellent customer service.
Our dairy was originally conceived in 1995 as a packaging plant for the milk produced on Woodlands Farm, owned by the Gutsche family. Today Woodlands Dairy is one of the largest manufacturers of UHT milk in South Africa, marketed under the FIRST CHOICE ® brand name. An additional line, our Extended Shelf Life (ESL) chilled dairy products, have a longer life than standard pasteurized products.
We are also a major supplier of milk to the chocolate industry.
More about our Shareolders...
GUTSCHE FAMILY INVESTMENTS (GFI), a family-owned business, is the major shareholder in Woodlands Dairy and owns 75% of the business. Two partners, namely African Pioneer Limited and Nozala Investments (PTY) Ltd, jointly hold 25% of the company. Gutsche Family Investments is also the major shareholder of Coca-Cola SABCO, a franchised bottling company which operates in South Africa and a number of other countries.
AFRICAN PIONEER LIMITED has investments in African Legend Investments Ltd, Emfuleni Resorts, Midi TV and Pioneer Fishing (PTY) Ltd. Their first black shareholders are from Uitenhage and Port Elizabeth and there are approximately 70 black owners. Stephen Dondolo, the chief executive officer, is also a director of Woodlands Dairy.
NOZALA INVESTMENTS is involved in particular with black empwerment of women and also with various other empowerment actions. Mrs. Salukazi Dakile-Hlongwane is the chief executive official of Nozala Investments and is also a Director of Educor, ICG Solutions, Medi-Clinic, MNet, Supersport, ABSA Provincial Advisory Board, MCC, Fresh Produce Terminals, Afripack, Nozala Coal, Nozala Diamonds and CTA-Nozala.
GFI, APL and NOZALA INVESTMENTS have agreed that 20% of all dividends received by the BEE partners from Woodlands Dairy will be contributed to a broad based benefit scheme, after the external funders of the BEE transaction have been fully repaid. This money will be utilized to render a service to the previously disadvantaged community in the Kouga municipality region, which is where Woodlands Dairy has its roots.
