Turning disaster into opportunity
The Tomis Group, based near Hermon in the Western Cape, had humble beginnings. Established in 1993 as Tomis Abattoir by Tommy Moolman and Isabelle Terblanche (later Moolman), it started out as a small sheep abattoir with the capacity to slaughter just five animals a day. The business grew steadily, however, and in time expanded its services to include a feedlot, a cattle abattoir, and deboning, packing and composting plants.
On the night of 21 November 2017, disaster struck: an electrical fire broke out and wiped out almost the entire operation.
“It was a tremendous blow. The insurance didn’t cover all the damages, leaving us at a crossroads: whether or not to continue the business, and if we did carry on, whether to reposition ourselves,” recalls managing director Laurie Terblanche. Terblanche, who is Isabelle’s son, joined the family business in 1998 after completing his BAccLLB at Stellenbosch University.
The decision was made not only to continue operating, but to develop a new vision for the group based on an evaluation of the changing market.
The family had identified
