RMB Corvest and fellow shareholders, comprising Agile Capital and executive management, have successfully sold Feedem Group (Pty) Ltd (“Feedem”), one of the country’s largest contract catering businesses, to Empact Group, a leading South African provider of contract catering, cleaning, hygiene and integrated facilities management services. The transaction has been approved by the Competition Tribunal of South Africa and marks a significant milestone for both organisations.
Empact Group operates across a wide range of sectors including healthcare, education, industrial, retail, commercial and corporate environments, delivering purpose‑led, integrated multi‑service solutions throughout Southern Africa. Feedem complements this footprint as a leading full‑service catering group providing customised onsite catering and related services to the retirement, corporate, industrial, education, healthcare and institutional sectors across South Africa.
The acquisition follows a formal disposal process initiated by Feedem’s shareholders after sustained growth, strong market positioning and increasing strategic interest from trade buyers. The disposal was driven by succession‑planning considerations and the opportunity to partner with a long‑term strategic owner aligned with Feedem’s operating model and people-driven culture.
The transaction follows a successful eight-year partnership between Feedem’s executive management team and its institutional shareholders, who acquired the business from the founders in 2017. At the time of acquisition, Feedem was a mid-tier catering business with a strong footprint in the Western Cape retirement sector. Since then, the business has undergone a significant transformation, emerging as one of the largest contract caterers in South Africa.
Under the leadership of Chief Executive Officer Bazil Lauryssen and Chief Operating Officer Elnastien Kotze, Feedem delivered sustained growth through diversification into specialised cleaning and pest control, expansion into higher-margin institutional catering contracts, operational automation, and disciplined cost management—while maintaining a strong people-centered culture.
“Feedem has been an outstanding investment for RMB Corvest and a clear example of what can be achieved with strong management, strategic focus and operational discipline. We are proud of the journey the business has taken over the past eight years and the value created for all stakeholders. Empact’s shared values make it a natural buyer for Feedem and we believe Empact will ensure continued service quality. We are confident the business is well positioned for its next phase of growth under Empact’s stewardship.” says Genevieve Alberts, director RMB Corvest.
Empact has identified the acquisition of Feedem as a strategic opportunity to strengthen its position in institutional, education and retirement catering, while benefiting from Feedem’s operational depth, national footprint, reputation and established client relationships.
Feedem will continue to operate as a trusted catering partner to its clients, with a focus on service excellence, ethical operations and compliance with industry standards, now supported by the scale and resources of Empact Group.
“We have always considered the services industry in South Africa as one of the most resilient sectors to invest in,” says Liz Kolobe, partner at Agile, “The sale to Empact reflects both the quality of the Feedem asset and the confidence in its long‑term sustainability within a larger, integrated services group.”