SOUTH AFRICA – Barentz International, a leading global ingredient distributor has formed a joint venture with South Africa headquartered raw materials supplier SK Chemtrade Services as it seeks to expand in the market.
SK Chemtrade, which has offices, development centres and warehouses in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Harare in Zimbabwe is a leading supplier raw material to the life sciences industries in Sothern Africa.
According to Barentz, the venture will give it quicker access to the market in southern Africa, while offering SK Chemtrade the support of Barentz’s global network.
Barentz brings in international capabilities in distributing high-quality ingredients for the food, nutrition, pharmaceuticals, personal care and animal nutrition segment.
Barentz CEO Hidde van der Wal said that the collaboration will stimulate growth in the industry. “Because SK Chemtrade and Barentz are both active in the rapidly growing life sciences industry, we are naturally cut out to be partners.”
“SK Chemtrade is well-known and well-managed and has a strong reputation. This partnership will provide a solid base for creating robust business opportunities in South Africa and its neighbouring countries,” he added.
Also commenting on the partnership, Mark Ferrao, Managing Director of SK Chemtrade said: “As a strong strategic partner based in Europe, Barentz is an excellent fit.
“Both of our companies have the same ethos: delivering high-quality products and offering technical support whenever required, with an enthusiastic approach to product development.”
Established in 1992 as a distributor of International Flavours & Fragrances, SK Chemtrade supplies materials to manufacturers of food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements as well as household detergents and personal care products.
Barentz offers a comprehensive portfolio of speciality ingredients, including unique specialty ingredients in more than 60 countries and has a turnover of around €1.1 billion and employs more than 1,100 people.
In the recent past, Barentz has been expanding into new markets as part of the company’s strategy to broaden its portfolio of quality ingredients in the life sciences industries.
In June this year, the company formed a joint venture with Dutch ingredients company, TasteStrik aimed at developing new ideas and innovative solutions for food and beverage manufacturers in the European market.
Last year, Barentz formed a Brazilian joint venture with Brazilian ingredients distributor, Tovani Benzaquen, expanding its presence in Latin America.
The company recently acquired Finland-based Casmo Oy, a specialized distributor of casings, smoke condensates and flavors for the meat industry.
