
Retail Packaging Statement 2023
SOGA Organic is the only certified organic citrus processor in South Africa. We only process fruit from the four SOGA Growers to ensure the best quality and integrity for all our products. All four growers farm in South Africa along the fertile Sundays River Valley, near the Addo Elephant National Park.
One of our core values that made us farm organically, is our drive to produce fruit on a sustainable basis. We are developing a robust farming system, and where the quality of our soils improves every year. We are acutely aware of the need to farm in harmony with nature, and to always put back into our environment more than what we take out.
Quality and food safety are very important at SOGA Organic to ensure the best quality and integrity of all our products. We grow, produce and package all our retail products ourselves and all packaging materials are only sourced from approved suppliers.
Citrus Processing Plant Accreditations:
Certified Organic by Control Union – EU and NOP
BRCGS (Brand Reputable Compliance Global Standards)
PPECB (Perishable Products Export Control Board)
In the development of our retail product range, we were acutely aware of the impact on the environment. However, finding an alternative to plastic was impossible. Being frozen citrus juice products, we had no option but to make some compromises. Metal and glass bottles were both problematic when it came to freezing, and freezing our product is critical in our process as it obviates the need to add any preservatives. HDPE, LDPE and PP are all opaque, and we needed a clear bottle. We were left with only one option, Polyethylene terephthalate or PET as it’s commonly known.
Biological, biochemical and chemical reactivity are dramatically influenced by temperature, and whereas there might be low amounts of leaching at high temperatures, this would be negligible at minus 18° Celsius, the temperature at which our products are stored and distributed.
Many beverages, food items and other consumer products are delivered in bottles or packages made from PET. The #1 code is usually found on or near the bottom of the container. Manufacturers like it because it is safe, strong, transparent and versatile. Customers choose it for its safety, lightweight, re-sealability, shatter-resistance and recyclability. Up to 100% of a PET package can be made from recycled PET, and the material can be recycled again and again. It is used to make new bottles, but recycled PET can also be made into fibre for carpets; fabric for t-shirts or fleece jackets; fiberfill for sleeping bags, winter coats, and dog beds; industrial strapping; sheet and thermoformed (clamshell) packaging; and automotive parts such as headliners, bumpers, and door panels. We urge all our customers who buy our 250ml Certified Organic Frozen Citrus Juices – Orange/Ruby Grapefruit/Lemon and Naartjie Juice – in PET1 Bottles to please RE-USE and RECYCLE.
After extensive research, development and testing we are happy to announce that we have found a locally manufactured Biodegradable bottle made 100% from sugarcane, as an addition to our 250ml PET1 packaging. The new 500ml bottle is made entirely from sugarcane and biodegraded 100% into compost (Certified compostable). This new technology, known as Polylactide Acid (PLA) is as durable as PET plastic and has identical clarity and appearance to conventional water bottles yet it biodegrades in about 100 days instead of more than 2,000 years.
Finding suitable packaging and a filling machine for our 2nd product, the SOGA Rocket (100ml Certified Organic Frozen Orange Rocket) turned out to be quite a challenge. After months of searching for a local supplier of Tetrapak or cardboard squeeze tubes/squeezers, we eventually had to turn to Europe. Innova Supply & Services GMBH in Germany is a leader in product ideas, packaging, marketing and distribution, HACCP and ISO 9000 as well as BRC certifications aren’t just slogans, they are basic prerequisites! The company’s thinking and behaviour are determined by continuity, independence and sustainable growth and they accommodate small companies like SOGA Organic. The material used is Food grade-approved cup format classic board coated outside and inside (DPE) with polyethylene. The squeeze tubes are 100% recyclable. The new 10 x 100ml Orange Rocket Multipack box is made locally from polyboard. Polyboard is an Environmentally Friendly Product made from hygienic industrial and commercial waste that can be constantly reused and recycled.
December 2016 saw the launch of our first Certified Organic Frozen Lemon juice product. It was a first in South Africa and the world… A convenient “ice-cube size” sachet of pure certified organic lemon juice to spruce up your salad, and sauces or pop into your hot water or tea in the morning. We attended several packaging expos, and did months of research and testing to try and find innovative and green packaging alternatives to produce this unique little wonder… Recyclable trays turned out “impossible” to use for liquids, so again we were forced to turn to plastic. The product is packaged in 10ml form fill and seal sachets and sold in 24 x 10ml units in a resealable ziplock pouch. Since launching this product, the plastic used in producing the sachets has been reduced by 50%.
All SOGA Organic retail products only have ONE INGREDIENT – The product is the ingredient and the only ingredient is the product. Certified Organic Citrus Juice – Just squeezed & freezed®
No pesticide residues
No preservatives
No additives
No colouring or flavouring
No sugar added
No water added
Not-from-concentrate (NFC)
The development of 100% recyclable or bio-degradable food-safe containers, that can withstand very low temperatures for long periods of time, is a challenge. However, we are always looking for new and improved packaging to be gentler on the environment.
All outer cartons used for bulk packaging of our retail products are manufactured with recycled fluting and liner paper.