Our Team

After the completion of his degree and post certificate in education at the University of Stellenbosch, Henri Smit started off his career as a teacher. However, 1994 saw him turn his attention towards table grapes when he accepted the position of Production Manager on a farm near the Orange River. Four years later, the Namibian native shifted his focus to fresh produce marketing.

Today, Henri is a well-conditioned and successful marketer that spends his days promoting produce. His nights are reserved for his other great passion: rugby coaching.

Aside from being a true asset to Rainbow Export thanks to his 20 years of senior-level Corporate and Law experience, Mario Grobler has been an avid table grape grower for nearly 10 years. He holds both an MBA and LLB degree, amongst others. With his broad field of knowledge, it comes as no surprise that he has led various other companies to reach great heights. You can rest assured: you are in great hands when working with Mario.

Mario is responsible for the corporate governance, financial, HR, and strategic growth of the company. He also leads the staff component and services clients and growers alike. A true stalwart, Mario is known to be honest, diligent, transparent and fair.

Frikkie’s career started in 2007 after graduating from Pietersburg High School in Limpopo Province. While working at an audit firm, he completed his Bachelors of Accounting Science degree through UNISA. Still eager to learn and grow his career, he started his Advanced Diploma in Management Accounting through IBTC Professional Business College to become a CGMA and ACMA.

Working his way up from a junior to an accounting manager. He is a self-motivated, career oriented person, who believes that anything is possible, because one’s attitude determines one’s altitude.

Frikkie enjoys camping, cycling and spending time with his family.

Jason grew up on the West Coast in the rural area of Atlantis, raised by widowed mom in tough circumstances.

He like to refer to himself as a cactus plant who can thrive in the most challenging surroundings.

After he matriculated, he studied Cost and Management Accounting at Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). On Completion of his studies he worked as an intern at a large well-known fruit grower/exporter where his career in finance grew momentum.

It all started for the Rondebosch Boys High graduate back in 1980, when he joined Pick n Pay. Les Williams worked himself up to Head Buyer of Fresh Produce for the Western and Eastern Cape, a position he held between 1983 and 1996. During this period, the born and bred Capetonian also took the time to complete his mini MBA at the Graduate School of Business. He was the proud recipient of both the Executive of the Year Award in 1989 and the General Managers Award in 1990.

After deregulation in 1996, Les joined the export business. He has spent the last 10 years dutifully working in procurement, together with his fellow team members Alita and Henri, as well as the last 3 years with his QC colleague, Henco.

He is a family man through and through, with a son in his final year of study as a civil engineer at Stellenbosch University, as well as a stepson still in high school. Les enjoys spending time with his sons and better half, Lucija.

Henco Brundyn joined the table grape industry back in 2016 when he began working as a Packhouse Quality Controller. Originally a Sports Management graduate, he has grown his expertise and responsibilities to include all accreditations and due diligence of Rainbow Export and its growers.

The enthusiastic Calvinia native enjoys pursuing various passions in his free time, but those at the top of his list are definitely golfing and hunting.

Aimee Etson started her career back in 2007 as a quality controller in the dried fruit industry. She got the opportunity to start in the fresh fruit industry in 2009 as technical co-ordinator where she worked for just over 2 years. While being pregnant with her first born in 2011, she decided to make a career change and started in the logistics department.

Aimee worked in different departments of the export chain, but her love for logistics won and that is where her knowledge, experience and passion lies.

When not on the phone sorting out logistics, you’ll find her next to the rugby field cheering for her son and spending quality time with her daughter.

Born and raised in the beautiful Mother City of Cape Town, Hester started her career in the wine and hospitality industry. Eager to learn more about the South African table grape industry, Hester decided to make a career change and joined the Rainbow Export team.

Hester is our administrator and assists staff in all departments. She is also responsible for keeping the office running. Her energy and eagerness to learn makes her perfect for this position.

Marlize was born and raised in De Doorns, the oldest and largest growing region of South African table grapes. After she matriculated, she studied BA Psychology at Stellenbosch University. On completion of her studies, she started her own little bakery called ‘Baking Bee’, where she baked and sold rusks straight from her home.

In 2022, she joined the Rainbow Export team as an office administrator, and she acts as a helping hand in all departments. Her intuitive and caring nature makes her ideal for this position. She also has a keen eye for detail, as she always strives to deliver the best results possible.

Born and raised in the Hexriver Valley, De Doorns, Tiaan grew up with a strong agricultural background. He went to Boland Agricultural High School and matriculated in 2018. After school Tiaan completed his B. Agric degree in Viticulture and Horticulture at Elsenburg. For the past three years he worked on farms during his vacation time, where he learned a lot about the quality of table grapes and the importance of the system behind the export of the fruit. Now that he’s done with his studies, he decided to join the Rainbow Export team.

Tiaan enjoys pursuing time with friends and family and his love for sociability and the outdoors shines in his personality.