While it’s said that change is as good as a holiday, some people find it stressful, but not Sandra Innes. The agro processing manager has worked for SAB for 14 years and is proud to say she’s worked almost right across the value chain. She is currently based in Johannesburg but manages the R & D facility in Caledon, Western Cape region.
“I started working for the company in Quality, moved to Brewing and am now in Agriculture.” She was a New Product Development Brewer for 13 years working on new products, developing products such as Flying Fish and Castle Milk Stout Chocolate to name only a few - and has spent the past 10 months in research and development agriculture as Crop Varietal Specialist and Agro processing Manager.
Sandra is responsible for setting up and developing AB InBev’s first Agri Research and Development (R&D) Facility in Africa. “R&D is very rewarding; one is constantly learning from the results that you get from your trials. We are currently pioneering the research and development of alternative crops for AB InBev, and the support of smallholder farmers in Africa.”
She wears two hats in the R&D team, which allows her the opportunity to nurture her passions across the supply chain. “As the Alternate Crop Manager together with my team we elevate the status of cassava and sorghum through a variety of trials to determine suitability for brewing, and crop management trials to deliver yield for the farmers.” The knowledge gained is used within AB InBev to ensure varieties selected drive efficiency and trouble-free brewing. The crop knowledge is collated in grower guides per country per crop assisting the farmer to reach the crops full potential. “I am also heading up the Agro processing and quality analysis leg in the new R&D facility. This is where all the ‘fun’ will happen, during brewing and malting. The raw materials are either malted and/or brewed to determine whether the variety selected meets all the criteria.”
The best part of Sandra’s job is travelling to other countries in Africa and interacting with the smallholder farmers and the agronomists on the ground, as well as doing trials on alternative crops.
