Shawn Lucas
Packhouse Manager
Summary
With over 2 decades of experience in the fruit industry, and a solid history in Citrus currently working as a Packhouse Manager at Vaalbos, overseeing the packing of 450,000 export cartons (Oranges - Navels, Midknights, Valencias, Cambria's, Novas for the local market).
Previously, I was Packhouse Manager at Courageous Cat (Pty) Ltd. Quality is my passion and to positively making an impact in any company success.
In 2010, I visited Japan, China, and Beijing and observe the competition of South African fruit in these markets, provided me with comprehensive insight.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
4
4
Certifications
Work History
Packhouse Manager
Vaalbos Trust
03.2025 - Current
- Managed and motivated +- 130 employees to be productive and ensuring we meet our daily targets.
- Accomplished multiple tasks within timeframes.
- Maximized daily performance and ensuring we keep quality standards as high as possible.
- Farm facilities have grape storages rooms of which I turned it into citrus degreening rooms, A first time ever for the farm.
- Reduce operational cost through good negotiation and resource management.
- Enhanced quality control procedures e.g QMS systems
- Ensuring we comply with industry standards and DALRDD regulations
PACKHOUSE MANAGER
COURAGEOUS CAT (PTY) LTD
03.2021 - 02.2025
- Citrus Packhouse, exporting lemons, grapefruit and oranges).
- Company had De-Greening rooms facility on site, overseeing entire process flow.
- Managing entire packhouse, including +- 110 employees
- Maximized daily performances ensuring daily targets are met (250 tons a day ) and operations run smoothly.
- Facilitate daily quality standards
- Making sure we follow exporters daily/weekly packing programs for different export markets.
- Control and receiving fruit from production area's.
PACKHOUSE MANAGER
Zululand Avocados (Pty) Ltd
05.2017 - 02.2021
- Company Overview: Avocado Packhouse, packing for exports and retail programs (Hass, Fuerte's and Pinkerton's).
- Ensuring packhouse runs at full capacity.
- Ensuring Packhouse meets all necessary requirements.
- Daily tonnages packed within time and fruit to be placed under cooling asap, a very important factor in the avocado industry.
- Making sure FIFO rules apply.
- Very strong logistics skills ensuring fruit gets loaded out timeously.
- Staff Management.
- Compiling of Budgets.
- Maintaining the nature of sensitive information.
- Making sure exporters receive relevant information from packhouse on time on a daily daily basis.
- Global Gap, SIZA and BRC accreditations.
- Ensuring packhouse meets export standards and quality assurance.
- Grower's communications on daily/weekly basis, allocate tonnages as per their season volumes.
- Communication with all stakeholders in the industry ensuring all necessary standards are up to date.
- Marketing 50% of all factory grade and/or 3rd grade fruit on behalf of the growers.
- Negotiate packhouse deals with customers suppliers and creditors.
- Avocado Packhouse, packing for exports and retail programs (Hass, Fuerte's and Pinkerton's).
- Reason for Leaving: Farms went through land claims, and left due to uncertainty. Was offered to stay on, to work for a BEE company.
ASSISTANT PACKHOUSE MANAGER
Chennells Farm Holdings (Pty) Ltd
12.2014 - 04.2017
- Ensuring fruits get loading out to Cold Stores or into containers asap.
- Cold stores notifications of what is being sent to them daily.
- Ensuring that packing guide is followed and packed according to the market standards.
- Packhouse packing to DAFF regulation and requirements.
- Making sure packhouse complies to all relevant standards and accreditations.
- Assisting packhouse manager with all other duties.
- Stock control of packing material.
- Global Gap and Siza registrations for farm and packhouse.
- Reason for Leaving: Was approached by Zululand Avocados.
TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT QC PORT OPERATIONS
Lona
02.2004 - 11.2014
- QC , Controlled Durban Port Operations
- Overseeing Japan / Korea, special market inspection.
- Ensuring growers comply to industry standard.
- Traveled overseas - quality inspections of growers fruit on arrivals, and market feedback.
- Was contracted out to Exporter Importer in New Market, United Kingdom
- Quality inspections for one of the UK biggest retailers - Tesco and Marks & Spencer
- Reason for Leaving: Received an offer from Chennells Farm Holdings.
Education
Matric -
DE KRUINE SECONDARY SCHOOL
Touwsrivier, South Africa01-1995
Skills
- Management Skills
- Team Leader
- Negotiation
- Critical Thinking
- Package Production
- Budgeting
- Exporting
- Relationship Building
- Optical Sizer Systems
- QMS
- Management
Certification
2018, BRCS Food Safety - Global Standard for Food Safety Version 8 Training
Personal Information
- ID Number: 7606105098088
- Ethnicity: Coloured
- Dependents: 2
- Health Status: Excellent
Timeline
Packhouse Manager
Vaalbos Trust
03.2025 - Current
PACKHOUSE MANAGER
COURAGEOUS CAT (PTY) LTD
03.2021 - 02.2025
PACKHOUSE MANAGER
Zululand Avocados (Pty) Ltd
05.2017 - 02.2021
ASSISTANT PACKHOUSE MANAGER
Chennells Farm Holdings (Pty) Ltd
12.2014 - 04.2017
TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT QC PORT OPERATIONS
Lona
02.2004 - 11.2014
Matric -
DE KRUINE SECONDARY SCHOOL
Similar Profiles
Tamara PowellTamara Powell
Managing Trustee at Black Bear Trust, Black Pearl Trust, BMD TrustManaging Trustee at Black Bear Trust, Black Pearl Trust, BMD Trust
Tobias PedersenTobias Pedersen
Team Leader at Trust Security / Frontline We TrustTeam Leader at Trust Security / Frontline We Trust
Szilvia FarkasSzilvia Farkas
Support Worker at Dudley Mental Health Trust and Black Country Foundation TrustSupport Worker at Dudley Mental Health Trust and Black Country Foundation Trust
Joseph BowlerJoseph Bowler
Packhouse Manager at Blueberry CountryPackhouse Manager at Blueberry Country
Abednego Kwasi AsanteAbednego Kwasi Asante
Packhouse Manager at Gold Coast Fruits LtdPackhouse Manager at Gold Coast Fruits Ltd