About I. & M. Smith (Pty) Ltd.
Trading since 1915
I & M Smith (Pty) Ltd. has connected Africa’s bulk coffee, tea, and herbal products to global markets for more than a century. We have built long-term, sustainable partnerships with producers and buyers across Africa, Asia, and the Americas.
We supply bulk coffee, tea, rooibos, honeybush, and rosehip, offering both conventional and certified products through Fairtrade, ECOCERT Organic, and Rainforest Alliance.
We represent leading global innovators Ecotact India, ESS USA, and Pinhalense Brazil. Ecotact provides hermetic packaging solutions that protect product integrity and reduce waste. ESS supplies electrostatic spraying technology that improves coverage and efficiency in crop protection applications. Pinhalense offers complete coffee processing systems, including cleaning, hulling, pulping, drying, milling, and roasting systems designed for fast, reliable processing and consistent product quality.
At I & M Smith (Pty) Ltd., tradition meets innovation. We are committed to excellence in every aspect of our business, ensuring ethical sourcing, traceability, accountability, and consistent quality.
We also provide market insight, quality assurance, and turnkey shipment and delivery solutions backed by decades of experience.
We build enduring partnerships based on integrity, and with a heritage spanning 110 years, we look ahead to the next century and beyond.
Celebrating 110 Years of Excellence
On 15 October 2025, I & M Smith (Pty) Ltd. proudly marked 110 years in the global coffee and tea trade. Founded in 1915 in Johannesburg, South Africa, the business has grown into a trusted international supplier of premium coffees and teas.
Through long-standing partnerships with farmers across Africa, Asia, and the Americas, we have built a reputation for consistent quality, reliable supply, and deep industry expertise. Over the years, our offering has expanded to include sustainability-certified products, South African-grown Rooibos and Honeybush, Ecotact Hermetic packaging solutions, and advanced agricultural equipment that supports the future of farming.
With a legacy rooted in integrity and innovation, we honour the vision of our founders and the enduring trust of our partners and clients worldwide. After 110 years of blending heritage with progress, we remain focused on what matters most, bringing the world’s finest flavours to every cup, now and for generations to come.
Meet the
Team
Our people are the heart of the business, each member contributes within their area of expertise to provide the best value to our clients.
Our specialised expertise in bulk coffee and tea, quality and supply chain management in the agricultural, and commercial space, drives progress through knowledge and passion.
Creating Opportunity
through Education
I & M Smith Pty Ltd., is dedicated to uplifting communities, through supporting local education and enterprise, we help to create lasting prosperity.
Our Certifications,
Memberships & Associations
In alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, I & M Smith Pty Ltd., holds internationally recognised, independently audited, certifications.
We maintain strong industry affiliations that demonstrate our commitment to global excellence, through sustainable impactful initiatives.
Coffee Market Report
According to the latest update from the U.S. Government’s National Weather Service Climate Prediction Centre CPC, the current El Niño conditions will continue to develop and strengthen in the weeks ahead with a 81% chance that the weather event will be one of the strongest on record during the October to December period later this year. This follows an extended period during which sea surface temperatures across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific remained close to long-term averages. Forecast guidance, including projections from the North American Multi-Model Ensemble NMME, indicates that El Niño will prevail through the end of this year and into early 2027.