Not loafing around: Sunbake-owner buys one of SA's largest independent bakers

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Food and logistics group RCL Foods has bought KwaZulu-Natal-based Sunshine Bakery - one of SA’s largest independent baking businesses.

RCL did not provide details on the price of the acquisition, saying the deal with AFGRI Group Holdings fell below the threshold for categorisation in terms of JSE listings requirements.

The Rainbow Chicken and Nola mayonnaise owner already owns Sunbake bread, and the Sunshine acquisition is expected to increase bread volumes in its baking network by 28%.

RCL said Sunshine "serves a diversified customer base in the formal retail and general trade channels, through two regional bakeries in Durban and Pietermaritzburg, as well as various depots across the province".

"The acquisition is in line with RCL Foods' strategy to scale the value-added brands component of its portfolio and to expand the capability of its established Baking business unit into new geographies."

Sunshine Bakery was founded by Daniel Anastasis and his son Taki in 2005. Before that Anastasis ran Albany Bakeries' Pietermaritzburg plant for 12 years. Taki currently runs Sunshine Bakery, which according to its website has a staff complement of 300.