Sunriver Citrus, a prominent citrus producer and exporter based in South Africa’s Sundays River Valley, has significantly enhanced its sorting efficiency and maintained consistently high-quality grading through the adoption of TOMRA 5S Advanced sorters and the innovative Dynamic Lane Balancer.
The company, which cultivates a variety of citrus including mandarins, clementines, lemons, and oranges, has been a key player in both domestic and international markets since its founding in 1937.
Currently processing around 84,000 tonnes of citrus annually across its three packhouses, Sunriver Citrus has grown rapidly in recent years. To support this expansion, the company introduced its first TOMRA 5S Advanced sorter in 2018, followed by the installation of additional sorters in 2023 and 2024, one of which featured the Dynamic Lane Balancer.
“We needed sorters that could deliver consistent grading to ensure the highest product quality,” said Theunis Bester, Production Manager at Sunriver Citrus. The performance of the TOMRA sorter, which has eliminated issues such as light blemish sorting, has been instrumental in building the Sunriver brand’s reputation for quality in markets worldwide.
TOMRA’s advanced sorting technology has not only boosted efficiency but also reduced downtime and labour costs. “We almost don’t need manual sorting anymore,” noted Bester, adding that the company’s returns have increased due to the superior quality of the fruit produced. The introduction of the Dynamic Lane Balancer has further enhanced operational capacity, enabling a 10% increase in daily packing volumes by optimising the flow of fruit across sorting lanes.
Sunriver Citrus has always prided itself on innovation. It was the first in South Africa to use skid steer loaders in the fruit-picking process, and its decision to integrate the Dynamic Lane Balancer into its third packhouse further underscores its forward-thinking approach. This technology, which ensures an even distribution of fruit across sorting lanes, has helped the company alleviate bottlenecks and push through higher volumes with enhanced precision.
Masgcor, TOMRA Food’s partner in South Africa, was responsible for installing the equipment in Sunriver’s packhouses. The TOMRA 5S Advanced sorter, renowned for its reliability and gentle handling of fruit, has become the core of Sunriver Citrus’s commit-to-pack operations. According to Gerhard Verster, General Manager at Masgcor, the sorters’ accuracy and ability to optimise packout have been key to Sunriver’s success in international markets, allowing the company to ensure that the right quality product is delivered to the right market.
With continued growth in sight, Sunriver Citrus plans to install Dynamic Lane Balancers in its other packhouses, reinforcing its commitment to maintaining a competitive edge through innovation and operational excellence.
Find out more at: https://www.tomra.com/en