Bidvest

History

Bidvest’s historical director biographies state that Joffe founded Bid Corporation in 1988 and served as executive chairman before becoming chief executive in 2004. The group expanded through acquisitions and decentralised operating businesses. ^[1][3]

Because the group later separated its foodservice interests into Bid Corporation in 2016, the name “Bid Corporation” appears in both early and later corporate history. This page uses the older Bidvest records to describe the 1988 origin of the business that became Bidvest. ^[2]

Key milestones

1. 1988

   Brian Joffe founded the business that became Bidvest. ^[1]

2. 1989

   Joffe’s formal appointment to the group dates from March 1989 in Bidvest director records. ^[2]

3. 2004

   Joffe moved from executive chairman to chief executive. ^[3]

Founded / co-founded by

• Brian Joffe — South African entrepreneur who founded the business that became Bidvest in 1988 and led the group for decades.

Related articles

• South African Company Builders: Founders, Builders and Corporate Transformations
  South Africa’s best-known company histories include clean start-ups, spin-offs, acquisitions and later transformations. This guide separates founders from executives who built existing companies into new institutions.

Sources

1. Bidvest, Annual Report 2011: Directorate, 2011-06-30. Original source. Accessed 2026-09-25. ↩
2. Bidvest, Annual Report 2012: Directorate, 2012-06-30. Original source. Accessed 2026-09-25. ↩
3. Bidvest, Annual Integrated Report 2013: Directors’ report, 2013-06-30. Original source. Accessed 2026-09-25. ↩