NGC, a truly Namibian success story
The Namibia Grape Company (NGC) produces 2.2 million cartons of seedless premium table grapes per year for both export and local markets.
“Each carton weighs 4.5 kg, which translates to approximately 10,000 tonnes of grapes, with 95% destined for export and 5% for the local market. We export to leading retailers and fresh produce importers in the UK, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The aim is to produce 2.5 million cartons," explained Gideon Nuunyango, the Managing Director of the NGC. NGC grapes are usually some of the first “new season” grapes to arrive in global markets from Southern Africa during the Northern Hemisphere winter and are eagerly awaited and received with enthusiasm.
Top Quality Standards
The grapes are grown under optimal conditions and harvested during a key early export window, spanning from early November to mid-January. “Our grapes are of exceptional quality. They have a high sugar content, crisp texture, full even colouring, and an excellent shelf life. These grapes are intended solely for consumption and not for wine processing. If you go into the shops now, you will find grapes on the shelves that were produced on our farm,” Nuunyango highlighted.
The NGC employs 270 permanent workers, and this number increases to over 2,000 during the harvesting season. “The company was established in 1998 and started operating in 1999. Since its inception, NGC has been a fully Namibian-owned company, established with the aim of creating jobs for Namibians,” emphasised Nuunyango.
Dividends and Strategic Growth
Situated on the northern bank of the Orange River in the //Kharas Region with 475 hectares of vineyards, the NGC became a National Youth Service (NYS) company in 2021. This was part of a broader strategy to enhance youth participation in productive economic sectors, and the company is now one of the largest table grape producers in the Aussenkehr Valley. Reflecting its success, the company handed over its first-ever dividend payout of N$10,000,000.00 to its shareholder, the NYS, on 11 September 2025.
The NGC also renewed its partnership agreement with global fruit marketer Capespan in November 2025. The agreement, which now runs through to 2045, reinforces a successful public-private partnership dedicated to advancing Namibia’s agricultural export industry and promoting socio-economic development.
Ideally Situated for Success
According to Nuunyango, Aussenkehr provides an ideal setting for grape farming and offers some of the most favourable conditions for early-season table grape production anywhere in the Southern Hemisphere. “The weather and the climate make everything possible. Grapes do not thrive with rain, and in this area, we do not get rain. Possibly, if you are lucky, you can get 50 mm of rain per annum, but the average is 10 mm per annum; therefore, the climate makes it favourable for the growing of grapes.”
The process starts with the pruning of the vines and concludes with the harvesting in November. The grapes are then transported to modern on-site packhouses where they are graded, packed, and pre-cooled. "We pack between 2.2 million and 2.4 million cartons of different varieties, including red, white, and green, and a small amount of black grapes every year. We also produce some raisins from the grapes that are not fit for export purposes. These are exported to South Africa for processing because we do not yet have a processing facility for raisins locally," Nuunyango said.
Preserving the Cold Chain and Community
Maintaining the cold chain is essential to preserving quality. Once cooled, grapes are transported via refrigerated containers to the Port of Walvis Bay in Namibia, as well as the Port of Cape Town and the Durban Port in South Africa for export.
Nuunyango notes that the NGC grows more than just grapes. “We grow livelihoods and opportunities. Our social development trust is responsible for the upliftment of our employees and the communities in which they live in the //Kharas Region and beyond.” The NGC recently handed over 70 toilets to community members in Aussenkehr, in addition to a purified drinking water supply project introduced some time ago. These two projects marked significant milestones in improving sanitation services and living conditions for the community.
