Our commitment to great customer service will outlast COVID-19
For over 100 years, Kaap Agri has been proud to be a place where people still count. This guiding principle leads us to be mens-mense – in good times and bad.
As we are facing the uncertainty and disruptive consequences of the coronavirus our thoughts are with those patients in South Africa and across the world who have contracted COVID-19 and our hearts go out to those who have lost loved ones to the virus. We would also like to express our sincere appreciation to the emergency and medical personnel who are under enormous strain as they care for the sick.
We are also tasked, as individuals and businesses, to review and revise our daily activities to curb the spread of the virus. As our valued customer, we wanted to take this opportunity to advise you that we are following all national guidelines to safeguard the wellbeing of our staff and customers while still keeping our doors open.
As a company that is critical in the food value chain, agricultural sector and provision of essential products, Kaap Agri and its brands such as Agrimark, are included as part of the exempted “essential services” that can operate during a lockdown period.
We wish to salute the farmers, producers, and farmworkers and recognise all they do to ensure the continuation of food production.
We are acutely aware of the challenges of keeping a business afloat under such difficult conditions. That’s why we wish to salute the farmers, producers, and farmworkers and recognise all they do to ensure the continuation of food production and for keeping the country’s shelves stocked despite the growing number of challenges brought about by the coronavirus. You feed our nation – thank you!
Like many others, we’re taking guidance from the Department of Health which recommends regular cleaning as one of the most important preventative measures we can take. We have developed extended cleaning protocols and have implemented these at all operating points including our shops and forecourts. Cleaning personnel has increased the frequency and extent of their cleaning routines with special focus on commonly used surfaces such as till lanes, till points, counters, and cashier desks.
Customers are also requested to use the hand sanitisers offered in all our stores, subject to product availability. The number of customers in our stores are also being monitored to ensure we can maintain safe social distances for all. We have implemented strict guidelines to restrict all suppliers and visitors to our facilities to those that are business critical such as delivery drivers and implemented a process to identify risks.
Agrimark remains dedicated to serving farmers, families, friends and their fur-families. Our commitment to great customer service will outlast COVID-19. So many of you have been to our stores to buy essential items you need to keep your homes clean and well-stocked, and your families healthy and safe. Rest assured, our procurement team is focused on managing supply and demand of products. To date, our overall supply chain has not been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, but there has been a strained supply of hygiene products.
And of course, we’re committed to taking care of our employees who needs to take care of you. We are empowering them with guidance and information on personal hygiene and social distancing. While our doors have remained open, our office staff are doing ‘smart work’ – working from home to ensure our trading operations are supported. We have halted all business travel and are conducting meetings and business activities via electronic forms of communication.
Speaking of meetings, our business operations personnel, will, in most instances, be engaging our account customers via electronic means of communication.
In the event that a case of COVID-19 is confirmed in one of our stores, we have a detailed plan in place to guide our response, based on guidelines by the World Health Organisation and National Institute for Communicable Diseases.
We are also requesting that customers take the government’s advice regarding personal hygiene, travel, self-isolation and social distancing seriously in order to keep their fellow customers and our staff safe.
Many of you know our staff members personally, and often say hello with a warm handshake and greeting. We’ll make sure you still receive a warm welcome in our stores – minus the handshake!
The health and wellbeing of our staff and customers are our highest priority. We’ll continue to do all we can to navigate these uncertain times and will keep you duly informed.
LOCKDOWN PROTOCOLS
Agrimark and the following Kaap Agri divisions have revised their operational requirements to essential services and are operating with reduced staff during the lockdown period.
DIVISION STATUS
Agrimark Open
Liquormark Closed
Pakmark Open
Kaap Agri Mechanisation Open
Financing Services Open
Fuel Depots Open
Agrimark Grain Silos Open
Agrimark Grain Seed Processing Plants Open
The Fuel Company (including Expressmark) Open
- Fuel Stations Open
- Convenience Stores Open
- Quick Service Restaurants Closed
Agriplas Open
TEGO Plastics Open
Kaap Agri Distribution Centre Open
Shared Corporate Services Open and may be contacted via telephone and e-mail
Forge Open
Sean Walsh
Chief Executive Officer
Kaap Agri Group