1970s · Our History
Sanctions Are Imposed
The 1970s saw politics start to impinge on the business. Economic sanctions were imposed on U.S. companies doing business in South Africa, and Filper was forced to abandon its small but vibrant partner.
In 1972 one era ended and another began: founder Hugo Molenaar retired and Cor took over as Managing Director. Hugo remained as Chairman until his passing in 1994.
By the mid-1970s H.G. Molenaar had gained extensive factory-building experience, both greenfield and turnkey, completing six major Greek canning projects during the height of the sanctions era. Today Greece is the largest peach grower and second-largest canner in the world.
Behind the Iron Curtain. One day in 1974 Cor learned that tenders for a peach cannery near Sofia, Bulgaria, would close the next morning. He drafted the tender, dictated it over the telephone, and submitted it with minutes to spare. H.G. Molenaar won the contract. Over three months, teams travelled into Bulgaria four times, and the factory was built with South African expertise and installed by South Africans — even much of the electrical work, undertaken by Guus after local tradesmen failed to arrive.
