Reni Le Roux opens up about being 'The Almond Girl' and her family's nutty legacy

Stephen Grootes speaks to Reni le Roux. founder of The Almond Girl about her career journey and how her family turned a dream into South Africa’s first commercial almond farm, now a thriving business in the Little Karoo.

Listen to the interview in the audio player below.

Reni le Roux's story begins in 1974, when her grandfather Rino Brochetto, an Italian immigrant settled in the valley between Montagu and Barrydale.

There, he established what became South Africa’s first commercial almond farm, laying the foundation for a multigenerational agricultural enterprise.

The family is now marking more than five decades in South Africa’s almond industry.

Today, the third-generation family business continues to thrive. Its wholesale and production arm, Amanteco, remains central to operations, while its newest venture, The Almond Girl, expands the business into the fast-growing “grab-and-go” market.

Along with her brother Stephan, the siblings have since taken the family enterprise into a new era.

After travelling abroad, Reni returned with a global perspective and now oversees marketing, distribution, and food safety. She also launched an online shop, thealmondgirl.co.za, helping local consumers access South African-grown almonds directly.

Speaking to Stephen Grootes on The Money Show, Reni Le Roux, founder of the Almond Girl says this latest venture focuses on single-origin almonds grown on the family farm and delivered straight to customers’ doors.

The aim, she notes, is to honour her grandfather’s pioneering spirit while adapting the business to changing consumer habits.

"Growing up on the farm gave our family a deep love for our story. We have an emotional link to the land because my grandfather planted these almond trees in fertile soil. There was no almond industry when he started, so I think my turning point was when I realised I had something unique to contribute," says Le Roux.

"I saw the need for better storytelling and direct marketing, and that's when I committed fully to the business. I wanted to educate consumers on different varieties of almonds," adds Le Roux.

She says she's fulfilling an important part of her job, by educating consumers about South Africa's growing almond industry.

"For me it was just important that I could use our story to actually tell people we've got locally grown almonds that's fresher and tastier than any other almond in the world," says Le Roux.

Scroll to the top of the article to listen to the full interview.