Barentz South Africa, formerly SK Chemtrade, is a speciality ingredients distributor serving the human nutrition, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and performance materials sectors across Southern Africa.

Combining established local expertise with the resources and capabilities of the global Barentz network, we provide high-quality ingredients, technical support and customised solutions to help our customers develop and improve their products.

Our roots can be traced back to Sylvester & Kitchen Pvt Ltd, which was founded in Zimbabwe in 1978 and continues to supply raw materials to the Zimbabwean market.

SK Chemtrade was established in South Africa in 1992 as a distributor of flavours and fragrances from International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF). In 2010, the company opened new product development and warehousing facilities in Montague Gardens, Cape Town. Further development in 2016 expanded its ability to offer customised product concepts, compounds and technical support.

A joint venture between SK Chemtrade and Barentz was established in 2019, combining SK Chemtrade’s local market knowledge and customer relationships with Barentz’s international ingredient portfolio, technical expertise and global network.

In 2026, Barentz acquired full ownership of SK Chemtrade and the company officially became Barentz South Africa. This marked the beginning of a new chapter while preserving the experienced local team, established customer relationships and technical capabilities developed over more than three decades.

Learn more about our transition from SK Chemtrade to Barentz South Africa.

Our FSSC 22000-certified Cape Town facility and experienced team of food scientists support customers throughout the product development process, from initial concept and ingredient selection to pre-mixing, blending, formulation and application testing.

As part of the global Barentz network, we also offer access to an expanded portfolio of speciality ingredients, international suppliers, application laboratories, formulation expertise and technical resources.

Barentz South Africa works with established ingredient manufacturers and suppliers from around the world. We value partnerships with principals that share our commitment to product quality, technical expertise, dependable service and collaborative product development.

Our integration into the global Barentz network provides customers with access to a broader portfolio of speciality ingredients, international sourcing capabilities and technical support across the life sciences and performance materials sectors.