The Eastern Cape’s entrepreneurial spirit made waves on the international stage recently, with six local companies exploring export opportunities at one of North America’s top grocery and food exhibitions, Grocery Innovations Canada (GIC) 2025. The event took place at the Toronto Congress Centre on 28 and 29 October.
By Maile Matsimela, Digital Editor at African Farming
The trade mission to Grocery Innovations Canada 2025 was funded by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) through the Sector Specific Assistance Scheme, working together with the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC).
According to the ECDC, the goal is to help emerging exporters and small businesses break into international markets.
Also read: Eastern Cape pushes for market access and growth for emerging farmers
Six Eastern Cape Champions Head North
The six Eastern Cape companies that attended the event were Coti Chocolates (Gqeberha), Spice Kit (Gqeberha), Rocha Natural Products (Gqeberha), Tio Zé (Gqeberha), Lathitha Wines (Macleantown) and Nodayimani Investment Holdings (Macleantown). These businesses went looking for opportunities in market diversification, direct engagement with buyers and distributors, enhanced brand visibility and improved market positioning.
Why Canada Matters for SA Exporters
“The Eastern Cape’s participation in GIC 2025 is intended to promote the province’s products to the Canadian market, explore new opportunities and strengthen trade relations between South Africa and Canada,” says ECDC Trade Promotion Specialist Linda Lubengu. “This is a crucial market access opportunity for local manufacturers, as GIC is attended by grocery executives, large independent retail chains, senior buyers, procurement heads and category managers responsible for making or influencing buying decisions.”
Lubengu reckons that shifting global trade dynamics underscore the importance of market diversification.
“Trade tensions between major economies have highlighted the need for South African exporters to reduce reliance on traditional markets. Canada presents a stable, high-income, rules-based market with growing consumer demand for authentic, natural and ethically sourced products – an attribute that aligns closely with the Eastern Cape’s offering,” she says.
Also read: Live exports: Eastern Cape loses more than R1 billion in revenue due to FMD
Strategic Opportunities and Market Diversification
According to Lubengu, GIC offers a wide range of strategic opportunities for small Eastern Cape businesses and the ECDC, including market diversification and risk mitigation. The event enables exporters to access the Canadian and wider North American markets, reducing dependency on traditional destinations affected by global trade uncertainties. It also provides a platform for small businesses to test market perceptions, gather feedback and holistically position their offerings.
The food and beverage sector is both an economic driver and an export opportunity for the Eastern Cape. It remains one of the most significant and resilient industries in the province, contributing meaningfully to employment, rural development and export diversification. The province’s unique agricultural base and processing capacity provide strong foundations for sustainable and inclusive growth.
Also read: SA agro-processors showcasing at world’s biggest food fair
Spotlight on Participating Companies
Coti Chocolates: Sweet Success from Gqeberha
Among the participating companies was Coti Chocolates, Gqeberha’s leading chocolate manufacturer and the largest in the Eastern Cape. The company produces unique zero-added-sugar chocolates available in bars, slabs and granola formats – all halaal and kosher certified. Coti Chocolates also produces South Africa’s leading baking chocolate brand, Bake & Eat, as well as the popular Peanut Butter Max bars and the Coti-branded slab range.
Lathitha Wines: Community-focused Excellence from Macleantown
From Macleantown, near East London, Lathitha Wines combines exquisite wine production with a strong focus on community upliftment. Led by Managing Director Sheila Hlanjwa, Lathitha Wines aimed to introduce global audiences to the exceptional taste of South African wines. The company benefits from a partnership with Hoopenburg Wine Estate, a renowned producer of high-quality, sought-after wines.
Nodayimani Investment Holdings: Cultivating Food Security
Also exhibiting at Grocery Innovations Canada 2025 was Macleantown’s Nodayimani Investment Holdings, which cultivates and aggregates essential crops such as sorghum, white and yellow maize, soybeans, sugar beans and sweet potatoes. The company places a strong emphasis on promoting food security while simultaneously stimulating local economies.
Double Duty: ECDC Also Headed to Durban
In addition to participating in Grocery Innovations Canada, the ECDC also participated in the Engage Trade Africa exhibition, which took place in Durban from 27 to 30 October 2025.
“The ECDC led a delegation of 20 companies from various sectors of the provincial economy to showcase the diversity and competitiveness of Eastern Cape enterprises. The participation aims to strengthen intra-African trade, promote regional value chains and position local businesses to leverage opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA),” says Lubengu.
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