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SOUTH AFRICA – Tru Cape welcomed a group of Harvard Business School students to Somerset West as part of the Immersive Field Course, a programme that links classroom learning with real business work in global markets.
The visiting MBA students focused on how Tru Cape could introduce a new premium apple variety in the United Kingdom while improving profit and building a strong brand.
The project required the students to study consumer habits, pricing patterns, and distribution channels in a market where shelf space is limited and shoppers often stick to familiar products.
Insights from the UK market
The collaboration allowed Tru Cape to view the UK market from new angles. The students worked closely with company teams to identify a route to market that supports growers in the Ceres and Grabouw regions while maintaining a premium price for producers.
“Understanding consumer preferences, pricing, and distribution dynamics are invaluable when introducing premium apples to the UK market and building a brand that consumers can trust and love,” said Roelf Pienaar, managing director of Tru Cape.
The students suggested several approaches to reach customers more effectively. These included influencer led storytelling, targeting frequent online shoppers who focus on health, new packaging ideas, and luxury gifting to attract attention.
They also highlighted a growing group of health conscious male shoppers as a promising audience.
Henk Griessel, quality assurance manager at Tru Cape, said the collaboration helped the company rethink its processes. “It pushed us to think differently about the entire process and challenged us to improve the way we work,” he said.
Learning beyond the classroom
More than 285 students took part in the Immersive Field Course this year. Faculty members designed the programme to meet teaching goals through project work, site visits, guest speakers, and discussions with senior leaders.
Most participants are in their late twenties and bring around five years of work experience in areas such as finance, real estate, consulting, healthcare, the military, and technology.
Harvard Business School leaders stressed that the programme depends on strong partnerships with host organisations across the world.
“We are extremely grateful to Tru Cape and all the host organisations around the world for all they do on behalf of our students,” said Hakeem Belo Osagie, who led the group. “The students benefit immeasurably from this experience, and we hope the host organisations do as well.”
The students described their time in the Western Cape as positive and enjoyable. Many said they look forward to returning to South Africa in the future.
Pienaar said the partnership offered value for both the students and the company. “We are pleased to be working with Harvard Business School to provide students with a real world learning experience in South Africa,” he said.
“We are confident that the students gained insights here that they would never be able to glean from a classroom discussion alone.”
The project shows how collaboration between global business schools and agribusiness firms can strengthen market understanding and support practical business decisions in competitive international markets.
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