Investment and Trade Minister Martin Hamilton-Smith has recognised Lobethal-based juice manufacturer Besa Juice as an outstanding beneficiary of the State Government’s business migration program.

Mr Hamilton-Smith said Besa Juice’s founder and Managing Director, Mr Emanuil Manolov, and his family moved to South Australia from Bulgaria in 2008 on a business migration visa and then built a successful business which makes a valuable contribution to the community.

“Besa Juice specialises in top quality fruit juices and supplies its products to supermarkets, hotels, restaurants, hospitals, aged care facilities and schools,” Mr Hamilton-Smith said.

“The company began production in December 2009 and in the last financial year the company’s sales exceeded $500,000, providing work for 11 casual staff and one full time employee.

“The company sources all its fruit from local suppliers, as well as using local manufacturers for all bottling and packaging materials used in production.

“The Manolov family have shown what hard work and ingenuity can achieve, starting a business from scratch and developing a product that South Australia is proud of, since being granted permanent residency in December 2012. South Australia has a lot to offer prospective migrants with its continued export growth, investment attraction across industries and competitive real estate market.

“The State Government, through Immigration SA, supports successful and innovative business owners and investors to immigrate to South Australia on a permanent basis for business or investment activity that is mutually beneficial to the migrant and the state.

“Immigration SA recently simplified the pathway for the best potential candidates to migrate to South Australia under a new nomination process involving the Department of Immigration and Border Protection’s online service, SkillSelect.

SkillSelect assists Immigration SA identify candidates who are interested in migrating to South Australia and who have the necessary work skills to help drive the state’s economy. This new proactive nomination method is in addition to 18 more occupations added to the State Occupation List, providing more opportunities for migration to South Australia.

Mr Hamilton-Smith will meet with Mr Manolov and tour Besa Juice’s Lobethal facility at 1 Lobethal Road, on 14 September from 2.15pm to 3.00pm.