“Elder statesman” Alastair Moodie remembered as a problem-solver, innovator, and true friend

It is with profound sadness that the South African Deciduous Fruit Industry has learnt of the passing of one of its “elder statesmen” – Alastair Moodie.

Moodie, known as a problem-solver and innovator, stepped down as chairman of the prominent Fruitways Group in 2023. He was a member of the renowned Moodie family that founded Fruitways.

Fruitways ranks among South Africa’s leading producers and marketers of apples and pears. The company has been cultivating apples for over 90 years and currently manages 1300 hectares along with three modern packing facilities in the Western Cape. Additionally, Fruitways offers packing and marketing services to another 40 independent growers covering 2000 hectares.

Across various profiles and company histories, Alastair Moodie is portrayed as a key shareholder and driving force behind Fruitways’ strategic direction, particularly in unlocking the entire value chain. Under his leadership, Fruitways gained a reputation for “doing difficult” — tackling logistical and marketing challenges to supply demanding supermarket chains directly.

Hein Keulder, CEO The Fruitways Group: “I joined Alastair’s business in 1997 and I am incredibly fortunate to have been shaped by his seemingly invisible hand of mentorship for the past 28 years. Alastair will always be my gold standard for conducting business ethically, and he set the benchmark for customer and human relations. I admired his effortless humanity, his respectful and compassionate connection with people from all walks of life. I will miss the stimulating and empowering debates we often had at his Eikenhof office, where he always offered the perfect mix of humour and wise counsel. He was a father figure to me, but it was also reassuring to witness him coach and mentor Chris Moodie into the family succession at The Fruitways Group. Alastair Moodie is our icon, and his legend lives on.”

Stephen Rabe, of SR Consult, remembers Alastair as a man whose friendship, wisdom and unwavering work ethic enriched every initiative he touched. “He had an extraordinary ability to draw people in, caring deeply, listening intently, and encouraging generously. His humility, grace, and empathy made him someone we were all proud to know and privileged to work alongside.

“His story with Fruitways remains one of inspiration. From humble beginnings as a son of a farm manager, he and his father, Douglas, built a world-class apple business grounded in integrity, excellence, and people. Alastair had a rare gift of identifying talent and creating an environment where others could grow and flourish. Many careers – and many lives were shaped for the better because of him.”

Keith Bradley, Fruitways Agri Services, said that Alastair will be remembered for his willingness to engage with all who crossed his path, always prepared to listen intently and to offer advice or opinion only after careful consideration. “A true gentleman always, to his peers in the industry, employees in his farming enterprises and the wider community. A man who always showed respect to others, he will be sorely missed by many; family, friends and the wider community.”

Doug Hutton-Squire wrote on LinkedIn: “RIP Alastair. Oh man! A captain of our industry who will leave a big hole in many people’s lives. A sad day for the industry and the many who saw him as a friend and mentor. He was a hell of a guy, and what a story his life was. I guess all that can be done is to follow in his footsteps and continue in the spirit of the legacy he leaves.”

In an interview with Fruitnet, former Capespan chairman Dr Paul Clüver said Moodie’s contributions and involvement in the South African industry will be sorely missed. “Alastair has always been there – and now he is not. It is difficult to grasp,” he said. “My connection with the Moodie family goes back as long as I can remember, but it was only years later, when we found ourselves working together on several fruit-industry bodies, that our real relationship began.”

The decade between 1990 and 2000 brought extraordinary change, Clüver noted, not only politically in South Africa but within the fruit industry itself. ”It was a period of intense debate, passionate convictions, and complex challenges as deregulation approached,” he continued.

”In those years, Alastair and I often met at Peregrine Restaurant or at our respective offices for extended conversations about the future of the industry. Unlike many discussions happening around us at the time, ours were always enjoyable,” Clüver reminisced.

”They were intentional without being rigid, critical without being confrontational, and analytical without ever losing humour. Alastair had a rare ability to make serious conversations feel constructive – even uplifting,” he outlined.

Following deregulation, Moodie moved on to build a ”remarkable” fruit company and later expanded into other ventures, Clüver pointed out.“Though our professional paths diverged, we still found time to meet for coffee whenever we could.”

In recent years, their paths crossed again in a way that mattered deeply: working to make Elgin a better place. Clüver noted that Moodie’s knowledge, intellect, passion, and humour leave a profound space. “But they also leave a powerful legacy – one that shaped our industry, our community, and many of us personally,” he concluded.

In ’n huldeblyk, onthou Anton Rabe, Hortgro se uitvoerende direkteur, Alastair Moodie, so:

“Alastair was onder-voorsitter van SAAPPA (David Gant was voorsitter) toe ek in 1988 daar begin werk het. Die twee was ’n hele paar jaar aan die stuur van SAAPPA en het oneindig baie bygedra dat SAAPPA ’n waghondrol in die die bedryfsbedeling van daardie tyd gespeel het en die Sagtevrugteraad, later Unifruco, op hulle tone gehou het.

Alastair was ’n rustige mens en het altyd kalmte tot somtyds redelik “heated debates” gebring. Ek het veral baie nou met hom saamgewerk met die sogenaamde Self Source Inspection (SSI) skema wat ons daardie tyd op die plaaslike mark wou vestig. Die SSI was dekades vooruit en het nie lekker gewerk nie. Die idee was dat die pakhuis en handelsmerk bepaalde waarborge gee van die gehalte van die produk. Dit is vandag algemene praktyk, en hoewel daar steeds ’n PPECB op uitvoer kant, en Prokon op die plaaslike mark is, is dit grootliks gemik om minimum gehalte vereistes te verseker. Die handel vereis hoër standaarde en die pakhuis/uitvoerder/bemarker en handelsmerk gee daardie waarborge en differensieer die produk in die handel.

Alastair was ’n stoere bedryfsmens en het altyd die besryfstrukture ondersteun en verdedig. Ek onthou toe die vrywillige bedryfsbefondsing na deregulering “suid” gegaan het, was hy een van die partye wat steeds heffings betaal het om die bedryfsaktiwiteite aan die gang te hou. Sulke bydraes is in lenings omvorm en is alles later teen prima plus 4 (die +4 te danke aan mnr. Dall!) terugbetaal.

Alastair was een van die baanbrekers van geïntergreerde landboubesighede wat ons vandag in die bedryf het (produksie/pak/bemark). Fruitways is een van die toonaangewende rolspelers in die bedryf – Fruitways is beslis ’n monument tot sy nagedagtenis.

Hy was ook een van die “elder statesman” wat ek altyd die vrymoedigheid gehad het om te skakel of by een of ander netelige kwessie te betrek vir raad en advies. Die elder statesmen begin nou minder raak! Wat ek ook waardeer het is dat hy my van tyd-tyd sou skakel om inligting of perspektief oor een of ander kwessie te kry.

Hoewel hy vir baie lank reeds nie direk deel van bedryfsbestuurstrukture was nie, was hy beslis ingelig oor bedryfsgebeure. Hy was een van die min mense wat Hortgro se nuusbriewe en ander kommunikasies behoorlik gelees, en gereeld terugvoer gegee het!”

Read more about the extraordinary story of the Moodies and Fruitways: https://elginvalleyhistory.blogspot.com/2018/08/moodie-eikenhof-melsetter-fruitways.html?view=flipcard

And listen to a Lucentlands podcast with Alastair here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIftFa6TT_8

CAPTION: The phenomenal Moodies. Douglas, who started Fruitways, and his son, Alastair.