From pineapple waste to global markets: Eastern Cape businesses step up export ambitions

In Bathurst, a small Eastern Cape town known for its towering Big Pineapple, a quiet innovation is turning agricultural waste into a product with global potential.

By Maile Matsimela, digital editor at African Farming

Leafline, a local manufacturer of washable hygiene products, is transforming pineapple leaves into reusable, biodegradable and toxin-free sanitary items, including adult and baby nappies designed to last up to two years. What was once discarded as farm waste is now at the centre of a business aiming to compete internationally.

But Leafline’s story is not an isolated one. It forms part of a broader push by Eastern Cape enterprises to break into global markets, a shift being driven by the Global Export Passport Programme (GEPP) of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC).

Innovation Rooted in Need

Leafline was founded in 2018 by Candy Androliakos after a simple request from a community member set her on an unexpected path. “One of the older ladies asked me to make her a more affordable option for adult nappies. Despite having never sewn, I decided to try,” she recalls.

That experiment led to the discovery of pineapple leaf fibre, a byproduct of harvesting that is stronger than cotton and well suited to hygiene products. Today, the material is processed into a soft, breathable and highly absorbent fabric, forming the basis of Leafline’s growing product range.

The company has also built a socially conscious business model, employing elderly workers and people living with disabilities, while maintaining a strong focus on local production.

A Gateway to Global Markets

Leafline’s ambitions have recently expanded beyond local impact. The company is among a group of Eastern Cape businesses that graduated from the GEPP in February 2026. The five-month programme, implemented in partnership with the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC), equips small businesses with the tools to enter international markets. Participants are required to develop detailed export marketing strategies, with Leafline’s plan ranking among the top three in the province. Crucially, the programme is helping businesses move beyond production and innovation, and into the more complex terrain of packaging, compliance and market access.

Also read: Eastern Cape emerging innovators showcase SA’s finest at Grocery Innovations Canada

Farmers and Producers Join the Export Push

While Leafline represents value-added innovation, other participants are strengthening the province’s export pipeline from the ground up.

In Whittlesea, vegetable farming operation InteliMinds secured first place for its export marketing strategy. Founded in 2015 by Thandokazi Khoza, the business has grown into a supplier for major retailers including Massmart, Spar, Pick n Pay and Boxer, producing a mix of fresh vegetables and processed goods.

Participation in the programme, Khoza says, has helped formalise the company’s approach to exporting by providing both mentorship and a structured strategy to access international markets.

In Komani, vegetable producer Aruzabiz is also preparing to expand beyond South Africa’s borders after placing among the top three. Established in 2014 by Zoleka Dikana, the business operates across two farms and employs permanent and seasonal workers.

Dikana says the programme has sharpened their understanding of the standards required for global trade, with plans now under way to scale operations through greenhouse production and frozen vegetable processing.

Also read: Eastern Cape pushes for market access and growth for emerging farmers

From Strategy to Real Exports

Since its launch in 2018, the GEPP has supported more than 50 Eastern Cape businesses, helping translate ambition into tangible market access.

According to ECDC trade promotion specialist Linda Lubengu, the programme is designed to deliver practical outcomes rather than theoretical training.

“The programme doesn’t just teach exporting but turns plans into action,” she says.

That approach is already bearing fruit. Previous participants have begun exporting to regional markets such as Namibia and Mozambique, showing a clear pathway from small business development to cross-border trade.

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