Botselo Mills partners Shoprite to strengthen national maize supply in SA
The collaboration has enabled Botselo Mills to supply more than 120 tonnes of maize products.
SOUTH AFRICA – Botselo Mills, a family-operated company based in Delareyville in South Africa’s North West province, has partnered with the Shoprite Group to expand the national distribution of staple maize products, reinforcing domestic food supply chains.
The collaboration has enabled Botselo Mills to supply more than 120 tonnes of maize products every month to over 1,176 Shoprite and Usave stores across the country.
For a mill that once delivered maize meal to nearby farmers in a single bakkie, the scale reflects a structural shift from regional supplier to national processor operating within one of the country’s largest retail networks.
The turning point came in 2022 when Shoprite identified the mill’s potential to scale and contribute more meaningfully to South Africa’s staple food basket.
“They challenged us to supply on a national scale, and we were left with no option but to deliver,” said Fanie Schoeman, CEO of Botselo Mills.
Access to Shoprite’s centralised distribution infrastructure has allowed the mill to reach consumers from Cape Town to Musina.
The partnership has also expanded into private-label production, with Botselo packaging Shoprite’s Ritebrand and Usave’s Ubrand maize products, further embedding the mill within the retailer’s value chain.
According to Louis du Plessis, deputy general manager for food buying at the Shoprite Group, the partnership aligns with the retailer’s strategy of supporting scalable local suppliers.
“Through our partnership, we’ve introduced the brand to more households across the country,” he said.
He added that the move means that their customers have greater access to affordable, quality maize, while they support local producers and contribute to South Africa’s economic growth.
Founded in 1982 by the Hobson family in a converted farm shed near Stella under the name Batho Bothle, Botselo Mills relocated to Delareyville in 2008 and rebranded, investing in modern milling technology and packaging lines.
Over the past four years, the business has grown revenue by more than 8,000%, positioning it among the country’s competitive maize processors.
Botselo Mills employs 563 people, most of whom live in and around Delareyville. Over the past 15 years, the workforce has expanded by nearly 300%, supporting economic activity in a rural district where agro-processing remains a primary employer.
In parallel, the company has introduced packaging innovations, including a 2.5kg brick pack designed to reduce plastic usage and improve transport efficiency, followed by a similar format for its Super White Instant 1kg product.
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