Dasbosch

A farm born from conviction

Dasbosch was established in the 1940s by the late Captain Jack Basson — a man who wore many hats. A qualified lawyer who served with the Allied forces in World War II, he returned to South Africa to enter politics with the United Party under General Jan Smuts.

When the political winds shifted, Jack and his wife Maude turned to the land. In the Porterville district, where the Olifants River Valley meets ancient mountain ranges, they planted the roots of what would become a multi-generational agricultural legacy.

From farm boy to Africa's retail king

On 8 January 1946, Whitey Basson was born at Dasbosch. He grew up among the orchards and vineyards, attended Rondebosch Boys' High School, and earned his BCom CTA from Stellenbosch University before qualifying as a chartered accountant in 1970.

In 1979, he acquired a small 8-store Western Cape grocer called Shoprite for R1 million. Over nearly four decades, he transformed it into Africa's largest food retailer — 2,300+ stores across 15 countries, 140,000 employees, and revenue of R150 billion. Deloitte ranked it the 86th largest retailer globally. He retired as CEO on 31 December 2016, capping one of the most remarkable careers in African business history.

Through all of it, Dasbosch endured — the family's agricultural anchor and a constant reminder of where the journey began.

The man who runs the land

For decades, Simon Coldrey has been the driving force behind the day-to-day operations of Dasbosch. More than a farm manager — a close friend to the Basson family and a steward of the land in the truest sense.

Under Simon's hands-on leadership, Dasbosch has grown and adapted through changing seasons, evolving markets, and new crops. His deep understanding of the Porterville terroir — the soils, the water, the mountain microclimate — is woven into every orchard row and vine he tends.

Where the Bassons provided the vision, Simon has provided the grit — ensuring that the produce leaving Dasbosch meets the exacting standards of international export markets while honouring the farming traditions that have sustained this valley for generations.