Exchanging Rugby Glory for Milling Success – The Rossgro Milling Story

Former Springbok and member of the 1995 Rugby World Cup winning squad, Chris Rossouw, has also made a name for himself away from the rugby field: as a maize milling entrepreneur.   

Chris is the proud owner of Rossgro Milling and the Rosso Maize Meal brand, and a satisfied Roff client. His story is inspiring – and proof that it’s never too late to start the next chapter, even if it is in another industry altogether. 

Family ties 

The Rossouw family that includes Chris Rossouw Senior and Chris’s three brothers, Adriaan, Charles and Naudé, has worked tirelessly to build a successful mixed agricultural business that spans poultry, soya and maize. They have a strong business footprint running through the Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces of South Africa. 

In 2007, Rossouw Group won the coveted Farmer of the Year Award that is awarded by Agricultural Writers SA each year.  

Whilst the Rossouw Group is always looking for ways to diversify and grow operations, it is also a firm believer in supporting and benefitting the local community. Says Chris Rossouw Snr: “There was a time when you could be average and succeed. Those days are long gone. If you don’t specialise, if you don’t go out to be the best, you won’t make it.” 

A philosophy that has certainly stood the Rossouw family in good stead. 

An illustrious rugby career 

Chris Rossouw Jnr. enjoyed a successful rugby career, representing four provinces on a national level, predominantly for the then Transvaal, or Lions as they are known today. 

He had a remarkable start to his international career when he was part of the South African team which won the Rugby World Cup in 1995. He won nine caps in the Springbok jersey, making his debut against Western Samoa in 1995 at Ellis Park.  

Chris then disappeared off the radar in terms of international rugbyfor four years, before returning against New Zealand in 1999. He can therefore brag with two World Cups on his tally of achievements. 

Starting a new chapter in maize milling 

Chris Rossouw’s transition to rugby’s afterlife was almost seamless. “I started farming but that ran parallel with doing business and playing rugby.” 

“Our 1995 coach Kitch Christie was a businessman who taught us discipline, dedication, determination – principles also used in business. Applying these principles in your everyday business life may not guarantee success, but it will serve you well.” 

When Chris made the shift to maize milling, he chose Roff Milling as his partner. He says: “If you want to start a mill, go to the proven people in South Africa, someone like Roff with whom you can build a long standing relationship.” 

Chris decided on the Roff R-70 maize mill for his milling business, based on Roff’s excellent reputation. “One can of course import a mill, but that can be a risky move. Roff took my hand when I knew nothing about milling and gave me valuable support – every step of the way. Today, we’ve gained a lot of experience, but the fact that Roff took us through all the processes made it much easier.” 

Shaun Archer, Milling Manager, says: “The R-70 is a very ‘forgiving’ machine which make it easy to operate. Everyone is quick to sell you something, but then aftersales service is always an issue. On that score, Roff gets 10 out of 10 for their support.” 

Chris says that if the farmer can mill their own maize, and cut their own logistics costs, the consumer can benefit tremendously too. Rosso Maize Meal customers love the product and give the team lots of valuable feedback, which helps them to keep improving. 

Invest in the Roff R-70 like Chris Rossouw 

Roff’s R-70 Turnkey Maize Mill is a compact, all-in-one mill that offers best-in-class extraction rates. 

It’s perfect for the entrepreneur planning to enter the maize meal market with a milling capacity of up to 4 to 5 tons per hour, or 120 tons of maize per day. Just provide a building, water and an electrical supply, and you’re good to go. 

Its compact layout also makes monitoring during operations, and maintenance, a breeze. An additional bonus is that it’s loadshedding friendly, with a short start-up time of just 25 minutes and almost no wastage. 

The R-70 Maize Milling Plant ensures an extraction rate of between 70% and 74%* (Super/Grade 1), well above the industry norm of 65% - 70% (Super/Grade 1)**.  It can also offer an extraction rate of 82 to 85% on Special or Grade 2 Maize Meal. 

“After we won the World Cup in 1995, everyone spoke about the rainbow nation. For me, all of us working together and building something is success,” concludes Chris Rossouw.  

Let Roff be part of your success journey too! 

Sources: 

www.rossgro.co.za 

https://rugby365.com/players/chris-rossouw/