Boplaas 1743:
The Long-lasting Success of Responsible Stewardship
Interview with Fanie van der Merwe, 9th-generation General Manager, Boplaas 1743, South Africa
By Lee Hoverd
The fertile soil of their historic homestead grounds the van der Merwe family in their purpose: building on a legacy that unites ten generations and counting.
South Africa has transformed time and again since Boplaas 1743, the van der Merwe family business, was founded. But just as their apple, citrus, pear and peach trees change with the seasons, the van der Merwes have changed, thriving.
Boplaas has one foot firmly planted in the future. The company's Marlenique Packhouse operates using 90 per cent renewable solar energy produced in their floating solar plant — an African first. And yet, Boplaas is still a traditionalist at heart. The original farmyard was named a South African National Monument in 1973, with guests travelling from far and wide to get a sense of its heritage, enjoying its pastoral nostalgia.
Today, Fanie van der Merwe, the General Manager of Boplaas 1743, feels the significance of his role as a steward. Taking over from his father in the 1980s, he has shouldered the responsibility of guiding the family business for more than three decades. Now, with the departure of his brother from the business after 28 of those years, he feels more than ever that instilling the value of stewardship in his sons and the generations that follow is his most important obligation – and potentially his biggest challenge.
Were you conscious of Boplaas 1743’s legacy when you joined?
Yes, it was something we talked about a lot when my brother and I were growing up in and around our historic farmyard. I think the significance of our family and its legacy really started to resonate with me because of my grandfather, who loved renovating the old buildings and very much focused on the history of Boplaas 1743.
Psalms 16 verse 5: The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; You have made my lot secure, plaque at Boplaas Homestead, Koue Bokkeveld; image courtesy of Boplaas 1743
Psalms 16 verse 5: The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; You have made my lot secure, plaque at Boplaas Homestead, Koue Bokkeveld; image courtesy of Boplaas 1743
Later, my father continued to promote the historical significance of our family business, and I’ve always felt the responsibility that goes along with that.
For me, entering the business at the bottom of the ladder and in a very hands-on capacity proved quite impactful. I believe that’s the right way to join a business –experiencing the day-to-day at all levels and engaging in the work on a personal level.
What are some of the pivotal moments in your farm’s recent history?
A key moment was my brother’s departure from the business in 2011 to pursue other interests. We had worked together for around 28 years, which had been a wonderful experience, so it was a hard blow for me personally – and I believe the business too. However, the change ended up being for the best, and Boplaas 1743 has expanded a great deal since then, with gross revenue increasing 10-fold as well as acquisitions of other farms and new businesses.
Yes, we've faced many challenges as our sector or the country changed, but our approach has always been the same: apply our minds, focus on our priorities and act at the right time.
How does Boplaas 1743 operate?
I’m the Managing Director of Boplaas 1743 and have been for around 30 years. We also have a family investment company called Great Force, of which I am a partner. I have four sons who are involved with both Great Force and the operation of Boplaas 1743.
Boplaas' visitors' book; image courtesy of Boplaas 1743
Boplaas' visitors' book; image courtesy of Boplaas 1743
My eldest son joined the company about 11 years ago, and the youngest about four years ago. I believe a crucial aspect of joining the business as a family member is that there must be a job that needs doing – nobody is guaranteed a position just because of their parents’ title. Family members must get involved with the business the same way anyone else would and go through the same application process.
For me, it’s a great privilege that my sons have become involved in the family business. However, with that involvement comes policy creation to clarify roles and manage potential conflict. So, we have two separate dynamics that define the way we work: during the day, we work alongside our staff to meet our goals, and in the evening, we discuss strategic planning and future endeavours as a family.
Fanie van der Merwe; image courtesy of Boplaas 1743
Fanie van der Merwe, image courtesy of Boplaas 1743
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What is the key to Boplaas 1743's longevity?
I believe our faith keeps us driven and motivated. We feel very blessed that the business is moving forward, especially during the uncertain times we face currently. One of our core values is stewardship, and to me, that means we are part of something special — a link in the chain of this old family, responsible for continuing its legacy.
It’s not about ourselves; it’s about the whole family and the continuous growth of the business. I feel that having this kind of perspective leads to long-term continuity and has served our family and Boplaas 1743 well.
You stress the importance of policy creation to help guide family members in the business. When was this approach first adopted by your family?
It started informally a generation ago with my father. He initiated frank discussions with my brother and me about our roles and responsibilities, and how conflict between us should be addressed and resolved.
However, I have since witnessed points of conflict between family members, which prompted me to start writing our policies down and have my brother and I sign off on them. Now with four sons involved, it’s even more important to keep all these official policies in place as part of a healthy governance business.
We also have a family constitution that we review every two or three years, as well as a follow-up plan in place for when I retire, or if something changes or happens with my sons. It forms a great foundation for our strategic sessions, helping inform which way to go with the business.
What enables you as family to talk about these issues so openly?
For starters, when my sons were growing up, we tried to be as tight-knit as possible. I made sure I spent valuable time with them, which I think is very important, and now we can sit and have open discussions about anything.
3 generations of van der Merwes in front of Boplaas Homestead [L-R] front: Schalk , Maretha, Frans, Jacobus, Daniel; back: Kyla, Hannelie, Fanie, Carl, Louis, Jomari, Frans, Suritha; image courtesy of Boplaas 1743
3 generations of van der Merwes in front of Boplaas Homestead [L-R] front: Schalk , Maretha, Frans, Jacobus, Daniel; back: Kyla, Hannelie, Fanie, Carl, Louis, Jomari, Frans, Suritha; image courtesy of Boplaas 1743
On the first Friday of every month, we gather and have a family forum in which we talk things through and give everyone a chance to say what’s on their mind. I try to encourage participation from everyone, and at the moment, it’s working quite well for us.
I believe our faith keeps us driven and motivated. We feel very blessed that the business is moving forward, especially during the uncertain times we face currently.
Have you ever approached a third party to help address a situation in your family business?
Yes, we have had outside directors and non-executive directors on our board for some time. Our family has also used many other consultants to assist with business matters as needed. Currently, however, most of the issues we face can be addressed internally because of the listening and communication skills we have developed through our family forums.
Van der Merwe Family Crest, Boplaas Homestead; image courtesy of Boplaas 1743
Van der Merwe Family Crest, Boplaas Homestead; image courtesy of Boplaas 1743
How do you strike a balance between preserving tradition and innovating in your family business?
The gratitude we have for what our ancestors built and left for us helps to ground the innovative activities we pursue. A few years ago, we decided to go sustainably green – which is unusual for South African businesses – an initiative that resulted in us creating Africa’s first floating solar plant in 2019. We are also looking at cannabis production, which is a new industry in South Africa.
There’s endless interest in innovation in our family, but we thoroughly discuss the ideas before preparing a financial plan, a 10-year plan and a cash flow plan. If, after taking those steps, something doesn’t look good, we are disciplined about moving on and starting over with new ideas.
How have you and your family prepared yourselves for the growth and diversification that Boplaas 1743 has experienced over the past three decades?
Two of my strengths are positivity and connectedness. I believe it’s important to stay connected to the world while also remaining connected to your local community. We couple that approach with education, continually expanding our knowledge and learning new or better ways of doing things.
I’m personally transitioning into more of a mentor and coaching role over the next year. There aren’t many formal educational tools to help me with that, but there are people who have experience I can learn from. Finding the resources and being eager to improve through them are the key ways we can grow as individuals and professionals as Boplaas 1743 expands its business.
Boplaas 1743 was declared a South African National Monument in 1973. How has that affected your family, your business and the brand?
At that time, my parents focused a great deal on preserving the original farmyard, which has five main buildings: a water mill, a soap house, a bakehouse, a wagon house and the main house.
For my brother and I growing up, the National Monument honour helped cement in our minds where we came from. And I think it’s the same for my children – there will always be a desire to return to Boplaas and experience the place where the family’s roots are so firmly planted.
I think the National Monument declaration means more to us as a family in terms of appreciating our history and heritage than anything else. We are very proud and privileged to have it.
The work of Boerneef and Carl Boplaas, both van der Merwes and two of South Africa's most celebrated poets; image courtesy of Boplaas 1743
The work of Boerneef and Carl Boplaas, both van der Merwes and two of South Africa's most celebrated poets; image courtesy of Boplaas 1743
Signage granting Boplaas to Izaak Wilhelemus van der Merwe in 1743; image courtesy of Boplaas 1743
Signage granting Boplaas to Izaak Wilhelemus van der Merwe in 1743; image courtesy of Boplaas 1743
The van der Merwe family; image courtesy of Boplaas 1743
The van der Merwe family; image courtesy of Boplaas 1743
The gratitude we have for what our ancestors built and left for us helps to ground the innovative activities we pursue. There’s endless interest in innovation in our family, but we thoroughly discuss the ideas before preparing a financial plan, a 10-year plan and a cash flow plan.
How has your family dealt with the delicate situation of land ownership in South Africa?
We keep up with the most current views and positions held by the Government, but I think the main thing for us is to always believe that people are our greatest asset. Currently, we have around 1,000 employees, and we try to make them feel as important to us as they truly are.
Five years ago, we implemented profit sharing with our employees, and we continue to look for ways to contribute as much to their lives and well-being as we can. We always try to keep moving forward and focus on opportunities rather than the negatives that can so easily arise in South Africa.
What do you think will be the biggest challenges for your sons going forward in your industry?
Climate change has been a struggle for us over the past four years. We’ve gone through two very dry years, and I believe that will continue to be a challenge. The advance of technology and the need to constantly stay up to date with modern ways of doing traditional jobs, such as planting trees, is another area that will challenge future generations.
If the business continues to grow as it has been, my main concern is educating my sons about how to handle wealth, where to put their money and how to transfer that wealth over to the next generation. Money is something we can’t survive without, so we have to be very responsible in our relationship with it.
What are your future ambitions for Boplaas 1743?
As far as I’m concerned, the next generation has to decide which way they’d like to go. I feel fortunate that many of my goals for the growth and continuation of the company have been met.
As far as the business itself is concerned, we’ve already put a major peg in the ground in terms of sustainability, and I would like to see us continue building on that. To get there, we have to look after and respect our people, the earth and nature. We are very proud that we currently operate using green power, but my wish is that we remain forward-looking, exploring new markets, new products and better ways of doing things. Having that kind of approach guarantees excitement as well as success.
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