it was 1985,
and two brothers named Alan and Ramon Rhame – whose family had already been in the fruit industry for many years – opened a juicing business in Mayfair, Johannesburg. In a brilliant act of irony – given that they were operating from a very non-aristocratic premises the size of a bedroom – they called this business Sir Juice.
opens a door
The House of Orange
Synchronously, in that same year, another juice business was started by executive chef Spiro Vlismas – this time in Umbilo, Durban. He named it The House of Orange. In 2005, James, Dave and Patrick ‘Pucky’ Baker bought the company from Spiro. (And, while the three chaps continued to enjoy Durban’s warm water, they also carefully maintained a meticulous cold chain when it came to their fruit juice.) In 2006, The House of Orange merged with Sir Juice, to make one new business with the Sir Juice brand.
Vijay Loosen, who had headed sales at Sir Juice since 1988, became a director and shareholder along with the Baker brothers. She retired in 2023, while James retired in 2018.
with consistent values
A changing business
Then, in 2012, given our expansion beyond just a juice offering, we amended our name to – drum roll, please, and a large tuba blast – Sir Fruit! Despite the changes and challenges over many decades, our team still has the mood and mindset of that early start-up. Every bottle of Sir Fruit contains a big dose of optimism. Nomakanjane!
We pride ourselves on being a homegrown company,
with our roots in Umbilo and Mayfair, but with bright, bold growth throughout the country. We work hand-in-pruning-glove with South African farmers, putting people first and nurturing relationships. We are obsessive – hear Pucky’s early-morning rallying cry of ukujabulisa amakustomer! – about quality. And we’re always thinking about the people who buy our products: what do they need? Is it a turmeric shot before gym? Maybe a Pink Lemonade after a long day? Let’s innovate!
at forty
Still fresh
Sir Fruit has ripened beautifully since 1985. Our product offering continues to grow. We’ve won some service awards along the way. And our team is stronger than ever. We laugh, smile, learn, and care. We aim to spread good vibes across Mzansi. And we still, occasionally, listen to A-ha. Let’s squeeze the day!