Orange Grove set to rise from the ashes
" It has been such an emotional time for us but to receive this kind of support is something so special.”
A week after a deadly fire destroyed over 90% of their factory, Dave Durham of Orange Grove Dairy has declared that ‘we are not going anywhere – we have been here for 92 years, our heart is in Dundee.’
An emotional but amazingly positive Mr Durham told the Courier that the destruction caused by the fire ‘has granted us an opportunity to rebuild for the next 90 years’.
“Our team at Orange Grove has just been awesome in the way we have pulled together. By 5am last Monday, after the fire had gutted the plant, a plan was already in place to ensure that our 40 dairy farmers who supply us will be served and that our products will be on shop shelves
“Around 18 000 cows are milked daily and the milk supplied to us. Calls were made and with the assistance of around 10 dairies in Howick, the Free State, Durban, Gauteng, Limpopo and in other areas, all supplied milk is being processed and bottled, There has not been one day, even on that horrific Monday, when we have not been able to ensure that the milk we are supplied with has not been processed.
Orange Grove hopes to reach an agreement to use the refrigeration facilities at a vacated dairy on the N3.
Asked about the reaction from his family and the community an emotional Mr Durham said the support has been ”too awesome”.
“Our two daughters who do not live here – Saranne in Cape Town and Caryn in Spain – are right by our side and so of course is Lauren who lives here and is my personal assistant at this stage!”
Dave said the response from the community has been touching. “People have arrived here with meals for us. There have been messages of support all over the place. An athlete even completed a race with a Support Orange Grove logo. Sarel Cilliers High School, which was recently sponsored by us for their Rugby Day, offered to pay back the money.
“Of course, we said no. A video was also made and sent around social media asking that the community support us. We even know of school children offering to give us their pocket money. It has been such an emotional time for us but to receive this kind of support is something so special.”
Also read:
Orange Grove fire holds massive implications for economy
See video of support here:
