About Shemuél Milling
A family mill, feeding KZN since 1999.
From an old shed in Pinetown to a Cato Ridge mill supplying bakeries across the province — built on quality, trust, and the people behind every batch.
- Founded
- 1999
- Mill site
- Cato Ridge, KZN
- Family
- 2nd generation
- Trade brand
- Bake Rite
Foundation
We're a Christian family business. The name Shemuél— “prayed from God” — reflects the faith on which the mill was founded and the integrity we still try to do business with every day.
Our story
Shemuél Milling Company was founded in 1999 by Arnaud le Roux. An engineer by training — Cape Technikon, then Armscor near Wellington — he found his way into milling at Sasko, rose to factory manager, then general manager and director of a large Durban mill, before his role was made redundant in the Premier Foods merger of 1999.
Rather than look for another job at 46, he drew up a business plan to start his own. As he later put it to The Mercury: “Because I am a Christian, I decided to pray about this matter and surrounded myself with people who supported me.” The name Shemuél— meaning “prayed from God” — has carried that conviction with it ever since.
Those early years were tough. The mill opened in early 2000 in an old shed in Oppenheimer Street, Pinetown — previously used by a local dairy to wash bottles. It started with Le Roux, his wife, and five staff. Imported milling equipment from Turkey was paid for with R140,000 of capital and an Absa loan, with the family Fiat Uno serving as the first delivery van.
The retail brand Bake Rite — sold to local wholesalers in 10kg and 12.5kg cement-style bags — gave the business its first real market. As volumes grew, the mill switched focus to industrial bakeries with 25kg and 50kg packs, and for seven years supplied National Brands for Provitas production.
In 2012 the mill relocated to its current Cato Ridge home, the purpose-built facility on Old Main Road where it operates today.
Our journey
Twenty-five years of milling, one decision at a time.
- 1999
An idea, after a setback
After two decades in the milling industry — most recently as a factory manager at a major flour-milling company — Arnaud le Roux is retrenched at 46. Rather than look for another role, he draws up a business plan to start his own mill.
- 2000
First mill in Pinetown
With R140,000 of capital and the support of his wife and five staff, Arnaud sets up in an old shed with a holey roof in Oppenheimer Street, Pinetown. The early days are tough — the bank almost calls in the loan — but the mill holds on.
- Early 2000s
Bake Rite is born
The retail brand Bake Rite launches in 10kg and 12.5kg cement-style bags, supplying local wholesalers. As volumes grow, SMC switches focus to industrial bakeries with 25kg and 50kg packs.
- 2012
Move to Cato Ridge
SMC relocates to a purpose-built facility on Old Main Road, Cato Ridge — the home of the mill today. The new site allows for the scale and logistics needed to serve customers right across KZN.
- Today
Second generation at the helm
The next generation has taken the reins. Charl (Director), Jan-Hendrik (Operations Manager) and Pieter (Finance Manager) now run the business day-to-day, while Arnaud stays on in a consulting role. The mill serves retail bakeries, commercial plants and wholesalers across the province, with the team behind every bag.
How we mill
From wheat to bag
Every bag of Shemuél flour goes through the same five stages. None of them is rushed.
- 01
Wheat in
Quality starts at the gate.
Each truckload of wheat is sampled and graded — moisture, protein, falling number and foreign matter all checked — before it enters our silos.
- 02
Clean & temper
12+ hours of conditioning.
Multiple cleaning stages remove stones, dust, chaff and foreign grain. Water is then added and the wheat rests 12+ hours to reach ideal milling moisture.
- 03
Mill
Multiple break and reduction passages.
Break and reduction rolls progressively crack open the bran and grind the endosperm. Sifters separate flour from semolina from bran at every stage.
- 04
Test
Every batch tested, every time.
Our lab — led by Quality Manager Kinita Hunsraj-Naidoo — tests every batch for protein, ash, colour and bake performance before it's released for packing.
- 05
Pack & dispatch
Retail (10kg) to bulk (50kg).
Flour streams are blended to spec, then packed into 10kg retail bags or 25kg/50kg commercial sacks. Loaded onto trucks and on its way to your bakery.
Our mission
Feeding the nation, every day.
Our vision
The most trusted name in flour in KZN.
Our core values
How we work — with each other, with customers, and with the wheat we mill.
Trust
We build confidence through honesty, reliability and transparency.
Teamwork
We succeed together through collaboration and mutual support.
Agility
We adapt quickly to changing business and customer needs.
Kaizen
We improve every day by making small changes that make our work better, safer and more efficient.
Safety First
Everyone goes home safe, every day.
“The recipe for success for anybody who manufactures today is quality, service and consistency. We believe we must have very good relationships with our customers and our customers must experience us as people of integrity.”
In the press
“Businessman puts grist to the mill”
The Mercury Network, KZN's premier business publication, profiled Shemuél Milling and its founder Arnaud le Roux on 15 August 2018.