Hoesktra legacy at sector's heart: Having started with just a few pounds in his pocket, Aat Hoekstra is living proof that in the fresh produce sector there is always reward for those with entrepreneurial spirit

摘要

Aat Hoekstra arrived in South Africa 54 years ago with little money but a wealth of knowledge about growing flowers. Born in Westland in Holland, he came to South Africa after the Second World War, finding work on Jan Kirsten's Irene grape farm in Paarl. After three years, Mr Kirsten told Aat: "We better find you a farm, because I can see that you will not stay here for long." His perception of the youngster was spot on. Today he owns six table grape farms and a state-of-the-art coldstorage facility,and is a shareholder in a very successful grower-exporter called Hoekstra Fruit Exporters. He also owns Hoekstra Super Grapes and Hoekstra Sunshine Grapes, the first table grape brands to be privately exported following deregulation in 1997, and his pioneering table grape breeding program continues to produce new and exciting cultivars that are being planted all over South Africa and Namibia, shaping tomorrow's grape business.