Frequently Asked Questions

Proactive Foods is a business division of Forever Fresh Foods that specialises in the manufacturing, production and marketing of premium freeze dried foods for long term food storage and food security.

Our factory is based in Somerset West, Western Cape, South Africa. 

We can be contacted by

Email at: info@proactivefoods.co.za

Tel: +27 87 550 1579

You can email us on info@proactivefoods.co.za

Office Hours (Mon - Fri) (9:00 - 17:00) 

Tel +27 (0)87 5501 579

Our production facility is based in Somerset West, Western Cape - South Africa

Yes, we have a factory shop at our head-office in Somerset West Business Park, Western Cape. For other retail partners, please check our website under "Where to Buy".

Yes, through our online shop at proactivefoods.co.za.

We also have our Factory Shop at 2 Erica Way, Somerset West Business Park, Western Cape, South Africa.

Should you be interested in stocking our products or would want to recommend a shop, please contact us.

As a pure online store, all our pricing and product information is available on our website.

Unfortunately not. 

If you have an idea that you wish to share with us for mutal benefit, please contact us.

If you have a retail or online store and will be a regular bulk buyer and wish to stock our products, you can CONTACT US by providing a brief overview on your business, including where you are based, your other lines and how you envision taking our range to market.

Freeze Drying is a type of drying method used to remove moisture from products typically for long term preservation of up to 25 years without the need for refrigeration. The technical term is called lyophilisation. 

Unlike dehydrated foods, that rely on nutritional damaging high heat to remove moisture and offer a limited shelf life of less than 1 year, freeze-dried foods use a gentle cold process to preserve 98% of all nutrients and offers long term preservation of up to 25 years. What's more, freeze-dried foods simply taste better than dehydrated foods, offer a wider choice of both meat and plant meals, are lighter and are easier and quicker to rehydrate. 

Freeze Dried products are generally more expensive than the dehydrated equivalent products, but are superior in every other aspect.

Dehydrated foods rely on nutritional damaging high heat to remove moisture and offer a limited shelf life of less than 1 year. 

Typically dehydrated products are limited to vegetable offerings only, as animal (meat) products tend to shrivel and toughen when exposed to heat and are very susceptible to oxidised rancidity due to high residual water content in the product, which allows bacteria to flourish posing a health risk. 

Freeze-dried foods use a gentle cold process to preserve 98% of all nutrients and offers long term preservation of up to 25 years. The products do not denature (change shape) and generally keep their colour, taste and texture. 

NET weight refers to the total weight of the (dry) product, without the weight of the pouch or any moisture.

REHYDRATED weight refers to the projected end weight of the net weight product once water has been added to the product.

Our products are typically represented in both Rehydrated Weight (to give you an understanding of how much food you will have once rehydrated) as well as Net Weight, for you to understand how light a product may be for purposes of carrying and/or storage.

Our products are available in 2 sizes:

• Our LARGE Pouches measure approx. 250 x 330mm.

All LARGE Pouches come with a built-in zip seal.

All SMALL pouches do not have a built-in seal, but can be resealed using a simple impulse heat sealer.

We unfortunately do not provide free samples.

As our products are freeze dried, packed with oxygen-absorbers and are protected in high barrier metal-laminated pouches, the shelf-life is projected to be 25 years.

Although our products are freeze dried, they don't need any refrigeration and are perfectly fine at room temperature.

Each product has its NET weight indicated (in grams) on the rear label as well as on each product page on the website.

Once opened, store in an airtight container and consume within 14 days. 

Our products section of our website provides detailed information on each product, together with ingredient and allergen information (as applicable).

By placing your order through our website, you will receive an email confirming your order.

NOTE: If you have not received an order confirmation, please check your Junk/Spam folder. 

If you have still not received an order confirmation from us, pleas CONTACT US immediately. If you have your proof of payment, kindly provide this so that we may investigate to ensure that your order is processed ASAP.

In addition to email updates, if you've created an account online, you can log into the website and check on your order as it moves through the different stages.

We will be publishing a list to our website ASAP. 

In the interim feel free to CONTACT US to get an up to date list.

The website is secured with SSL standard website encryption and our payment gateway providers provide their own encryption safety protocols, that are PCI DSS Level 1 compliant, for your protection.

No – we only take online orders.

Yes, we do from time to time, these will appear on our website.

If you are interested in large (bulk) volume quantities, please CONTACT US for more details for us to quote you.

Our website prices are inclusive of VAT. Our VAT Registration number is: 4210295384.

We accept credit card payments as well as instant EFT directly via our check-out process on our website.

No – this is not possible

Yes, we offer instant EFT payments upon check-out – should you not wish to use a credit card. 

NOTE: If you are not banking with FNB, your payment may take 1-2 days to be received by us, during which time, your order will remain in the unpaid stage. To avoid any delays, payment by credit card is advised. 

Yes, we offer payment by Zapper.

NOTE: Should you for whatever reason experience a time-out or payment issue and you do not receive an order confirmation email from us, please CONTACT US immediately, as there is a chance that your payment may have succeeded but your order is incomplete.

In rare circumstances, a website timeout may occur between our site and that of our payment provider. When this happens, you may get confirmation of payment (from our payment provider), but not an order confirmation (from us). 

In these circumstances, please EMAIL US immediately, (and be sure to attach/include your proof of payment) for us to allocate your payment to your order. 

Yes, once your order is confirmed, simply provide us with your company name and valid VAT registration number.

Once we have received your payment, as a general guideline, we require 1-2 working days to process (pick and pack) your order. 

Thereafter using Standard (economy) shipping, the courier company will require approximately 2 - 4 business days.

Your order will only enter the packing stage once it is fully paid up. 

As a general guideline, we require 1-2 working days to process (pick and pack) your order. 

Thereafter the courier company will require 2 - 4 business days.

You will receive a notification that your parcel has left our premises and you will be able to track it until it arrives at its destination.

Although we pride ourselves on the highest level of service, certain logistics (outside our direct control) prevent us from satisfying every request. 

NOTE: Your order will only enter the packing stage once it is fully paid up. Thereafter we require 1-2 days to process (pick and pack) your order. Thereafter the courier company will require 2 - 4 business days.

We offer free shipping (within main South African metropolitan areas) on orders over a certain value. 

Please consult our main website page for current order value qualifying amounts. 

For orders under under the free shipping qualification, the website shall provide a real-time quotation.

We provide door to door courier shipping regionally throughout South Africa.

No – we use courier services and they cannot deliver to PO Boxes.

We are registered exporter and can ship to most international countries.

Note that there are certain restrictions on animal (meat) products.

Please CONTACT US for more information and to get a quotation on shipping.

We will quote shipping separately on bulk orders.

Qualified refunds will be processed on conclusion of an investigation into any lost parcel.

Unfortunately, we don’t take products back due to the fact that it is a food product and there is a safety aspect that prohibits us from being able to accept the products back.

CONTACT US immediately so we can look into it and we will revert back to you asap.

Unfortunately, freeze dried products only last up to 25 years - so shipping with SA Post Office is not possible!