Powering Africa's largest carrot farming and juice production operation with clean solar energy
Greenway Farms is one of the most remarkable success stories in South African agriculture. Founded in 1988 by Vito Rugani and Vincent Sequeira, the company began as a small mixed-vegetable operation on a 20-hectare smallholding in Tarlton, west of Johannesburg. Following a strategic pivot in 2000 to specialise exclusively in carrot farming, Greenway Farms grew to become the largest carrot producer on the African continent — today supplying over 50% of Southern Africa's carrot consumption under the Rugani brand, from three farming locations spanning more than 3,700 hectares across Gauteng, Limpopo, and the Free State.
The business's ambition did not stop at farming. Recognising the value destruction in second grade produce that could not be sold fresh, Vito Rugani pioneered a juice extraction process that transformed surplus carrots into Rugani 100% Carrot Juice — now the leading vegetable juice brand in South Africa, with 11 product variants distributed nationally and internationally. The juice manufacturing plant at Tarlton processes more than 80 tonnes of carrots per day into over 40,000 litres of juice — a high-throughput, energy-intensive industrial operation that runs continuously.
The Energy Challenge: Large-scale carrot farming and juice production demand enormous quantities of electricity. Irrigation pivots across thousands of hectares of farmland, cold storage and refrigeration infrastructure for harvested produce, the juice extraction and pasteurisation plant, packaging machinery, and the logistics hub that distributes product daily to fresh produce markets across South Africa all require reliable, cost-effective power. As Eskom tariffs escalated and load shedding threatened production continuity, Greenway Farms recognised that energy security had become a strategic business risk.
The Solution: SolarEPC designed and installed a solar PV system at the Greenway Farms facility, incorporating full generator integration to provide a layered, resilient energy architecture. The solar PV system generates clean, cost-effective electricity during production hours, significantly reducing the facility's grid energy consumption and monthly electricity expenditure. The generator integration ensures seamless continuity of supply during extended outage windows, protecting the cold chain and production schedule at all times.
For an operation of Greenway Farms' scale, the financial impact of reduced energy costs is substantial. Every rand saved on electricity flows directly to the bottom line of a business that competes on volume, quality, and distribution efficiency. SolarEPC is proud to support one of South Africa's most innovative and impactful agricultural enterprises.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
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Sector: Agriculture Carrot Farming & Juice Production
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Critical Loads: Refrigeration, juice plant, irrigation, packaging
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Solar PV: 1,099 kWp
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Location: Tarlton, Gauteng
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Generator Integration: Full integration seamless switchover
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Client Profile: Africa's largest carrot producer