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Building What’s Next for Pies
What if the next big idea starts with building something completely new?
That was the thinking behind a major investment by RCL FOODS’ Pies business to create a new facility that would help us do more than make pies today. It would give us the technology, skills and space to develop what comes next.
Today, that vision is a reality. Our new facility is helping us step into the growing frozen convenience category, creating new possibilities for innovation and giving us the ability to respond to what consumers want next. And we’re already seeing what’s possible, with PIEMAN’S POCKETS being one of the first innovations to come from this investment.
From big idea to real-world innovation
Building a new facility while keeping the business running was no small task. It took people from engineering, operations, supply chain, product development, marketing and more, working together to turn an ambitious idea into something real.
For Engineering Manager Mandla Miya, collaboration was one of the biggest ingredients for success. “It required focus, agility and collaboration across teams,” he explains. The project also challenged teams to think differently. Before the new equipment made its way to South Africa, the team tested the production line in the Netherlands using 3D-printed replicas of the products. It might sound unusual, but it was a smart way to see how products would move through the line, identify potential challenges early and make sure everything was ready before the equipment arrived.
It’s just one example of practical problem-solving and innovation that helped bring the project to life.
Building the people behind the future
A new facility is only as good as the people who bring it to life. Expanding our frozen convenience offering meant learning new processes, working with new technology and developing new skills. For our teams, it has been a journey of learning, adapting and growing.
Acting Operations Executive Ntando Khanyile describes it as learning by doing. “We were solving problems we hadn’t encountered before while still delivering on daily operational requirements.”
That experience has helped employees build confidence, take ownership and step forward with new ideas and solutions.
The investment has also created new employment opportunities, including a permanent production shift of 21 employees per shift, with most of these positions filled by women.
Safety at the heart of the journey
Throughout the project, safety and quality remained a priority.
The SHERQ team worked alongside engineering, operations and contractors from the start, helping teams identify risks, solve challenges and make sure safety and quality were built into the way the facility operates.
Building for what’s next
The new facility is about much more than a new building. It’s an investment in our people, our capabilities and our ability to keep innovating. It gives our Pies business a stronger foundation to explore new ideas, create new products and respond to changing consumer needs. And with innovations like PIEMAN’S POCKETS already coming to life, we’re seeing that investment turn into something consumers can experience for themselves.
Because when we invest in the right technology, give our people the opportunity to grow and create space for new ideas, we don’t just build for today. We build for what’s next.
That’s how We Grow What Matters, creating the capability, opportunities and innovations that will help our people, our consumers and our business thrive into the future.
