On 12 June 1933 Ernst Arnold Wohlfahrt (Ernst) was born in a small town called Altlengbach in Austria. He was toughening up by the Second World War as a child but at the age of 18 he couldn’t stand the depression and had an opportunity to work in the mines in South Africa. In 1951 with only a suitcase in his hand he crossed the South African border, started his career as a miner.
Ernst was a born entrepreneur who tried numerous skims to create wealth. Settling for chicken farming, Ernst had two children with Anna Maria Jacomina Coetzer: André Arnold (André) born on 7 November 1958 and Christa born on 12 August 1966.
André joined his father in the poultry business since 1980 after he completed his compulsory army duty and bought the business in 1987 from Ernst who took on new business challenges. As time passed Andre married Bennette Rood and had two children: Andrinet born 24 January 1983 and André Ernst Mathys (AJ) born 14 August 1984 they were the third generation born into Wohlfahrt Poultry farm.
Like father like son André took Wohlfahrt Poultry farm from strength to strength. Andre’s sister Christa and her husband Hendrik Potgieter worked as employees in the business while Bennette took the role of Andre’s personal assistant. It took blood, sweat and tears, but at the end of the day these four family members converted primitive farming into a successful business.
Hendrik and Christa took new opportunities in the market while Andrinet joined the business in 2004 as the technical manager with a Diploma in animal production; AJ joined the business December 2005 as operational manager with a degree in Bcom. December 2007 AJ’s wife Louise joined the family business as cash controller and worked her way up to admin manager. Andrinet’s husband, Louis joined the family business in March 2011 as the logistic and pack station manager.
Andrinet and Louis was the first to contribute to the fourth generation with a daughter called Danike Nel born 7 September 2009, their second daughter Diani Nel born 19 May 2011 followed, their last born was a boy, Durandt Louis Nel, born 2 June 2015. AJ and Louise have a son born 10 January 2011 called Aldré Wohlfahrt, their second boy Luan Wohlfahrt born 21 January 2013 and their last born also a boy Hanro Wohlfahrt was born 10 January 2014.
Wohlfahrt poultry farm is in the early phase of a 3rd generation family business in the poultry industry as table egg suppliers. Started in the late 1950’s Wohlfahrt poultry farm grew from strength to strength. The business has grown from humble beginnings and currently counts under the ten biggest independent egg producers in the country.
