This development marks a milestone in SA Harvest’s mission to rewire South Africa’s food system by transforming logistics inefficiencies into opportunities for equity and environmental impact.
Every year, more than 10 million tonnes of edible food goes to waste in South Africa, while nearly 20 million people face hunger. The challenge lies not in food production but in getting surplus food to where it’s needed.
“Hunger is a logistical crisis, not a scarcity crisis,” says Ozzy Nel, COO of SA Harvest. “We don’t aim to build the biggest fleet, but rather the most effective, collaborative movement of food in the country.”
The new trucks will allow SA Harvest to access more remote and underserved areas, increase the volume of food transported, and improve resilience across its operations. The addition of a temperature-controlled unit also enhances cold-chain capability, ensuring the safe transport of perishable, nutrient-rich food over long distances.
Each vehicle is an operational extension of SA Harvest’s commitment to dignified and consistent food access.
The power of SA Harvest’s logistics model lies not in scale, but in smart, purpose-driven partnerships. While it operates a lean, targeted fleet, much of its distribution is made possible through collaborations with logistics providers who contribute underutilised resources, including empty return legs and short-term vehicle support.
An example of this is a recent large-scale collaboration with a local farmer, one of South Africa’s major producers of fresh vegetables, illustrates the power of SA Harvest’s model.
When a surplus of over 200,000kgs of butternut became available - produce that risked going to waste due to seasonal oversupply - SA Harvest mobilised swiftly.
Through coordination with multiple logistics partners, the butternut was collected and delivered to over 40 community-based organisations in two provinces, where it was distributed to families facing food insecurity.
In return, logistics partners receive Section 18A tax certificates for in-kind transport donations, access to environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting data such as carbon emissions prevented, and public recognition for their role in a replicable, systems-based approach to hunger relief.
Technology plays a central role in the organisation’s operations. SA Harvest integrates real-time analytics and a central Power BI dashboard to track key metrics, including food volumes rescued, emissions avoided, delivery efficiency, and cost savings to community partners.
This infrastructure of vehicles, warehouses and digital systems supports a humanitarian supply chain built for transparency, impact and long-term sustainability.
SA Harvest is inviting more logistics providers to join its growing network. Whether through occasional unused routes, shared warehouse space or temporary access to transport, the logistics industry can make a measurable difference.
“In the right hands, logistics becomes more than transport,” says Nel. “It becomes a bridge between waste and want - a way to create meaningful, lasting change.”
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