In the fertile outskirts of Richmond, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), third-generation farmer Brad O’Neill is redefining what it means to work the land. As the head distiller at Sugar Baron Craft Distillery and the steward of Seafield Farm, O’Neill has blended a deep respect for his family’s roots with a modern vision for the South African sugar industry.
The story began in 1993 when O’Neill’s parents, Roger and Gill O’Neill, purchased Seafield. At the time, O’Neill was just 12 years old.
The exceptionally fertile 291-hectare land supported a mixed farming operation, with Jersey cattle, pigs, sugarcane, and timber for 49 years.
Growing up in nearby Eston and attending Eston Primary before moving on to Maritzburg College for high school, Brad understood the mechanics of the family business. However, like many young people, his initial dream was to explore life beyond the borders of KZN.
O’Neill moved to the Western Cape to study sports science at Stellenbosch University. However, during his studies, he felt a disconnect, realising he didn’t truly want to be a “gym instructor.”
This uncertainty led him to the wine industry in 2001.
Finding new ambitions
He describes it as, “Following one’s dream and realising maybe that was not for me, but really trying to find something that I would be interested in and passionate about for the rest of my life.”
So he began working part-time for prestigious estates, including Hartenberg, Klein Constantia, and Paul Cluver, focusing on marketing, sales, and logistics. Eventually, he moved into the cellar, participating in harvests and gaining hands-on experience in winemaking and viticulture. It was a formative period that sparked a love for the craft of production, a move that would later draw him back to his true calling.
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Back to his roots
After several years in Cape Town’s wine industry, O’Neill’s life changed abruptly in 2010 following the untimely death of his father.
Returning home to Richmond to take over the ropes, O’Neill stepped into the role of a sugarcane farmer to honour a legacy lost entirely too soon. With no formal agricultural background, he enrolled in courses, starting with a sugar course to learn quickly.
“Coming back home to continue farming, I learned to love it and educate myself more and more, and practical experience in learning while doing the job,” he says.
While his father had built a stable foundation, O’Neill sought to refine and expand it. He eventually converted the mixed-use farm into a 100% sugarcane business.
Under his stewardship, the farm has grown from 291 to 294 hectares by planting two new sugarcane varieties. The farm now supports 20 permanent staff and approximately 10 seasonal workers.
The birth of Sugar Baron
In 2018, he and his wife, Marisa, whom he describes as his pillar, began expanding the farm’s reach by creating Sugar Baron Craft Distillery.
They bought a 100-litre stainless-steel column still and started experimenting. After waiting for micro-manufacturing and liquor licences, they officially launched their first product, Sugar Baron Single Estate Craft White Rum, in November 2019.
O’Neill currently serves as director and head distiller; however, he is first and foremost a sugarcane farmer tending award-winning crops. Marisa handles operations, with their children part of the family-driven venture.
The distillery now serves as a tribute to Roger O’Neill’s memory, turning the farm’s raw sugarcane into a premium craft product. It represents O’Neill’s philosophy of “learning while doing,” merging his previous experience in the Cape wine industry with the resources of his family’s soil.
His dedication did not go unnoticed; in 2021, he was named the KZN Young Farmer of the Year, a milestone he considers one of his greatest achievements.
Navigating modern challenges
Success, however, has not come without significant hurdles. Stepping into his father’s shoes meant facing high expectations.
Beyond the personal pressure, the environmental and economic climate remains volatile. O’Neill says that severe droughts, hail, and frost are constant threats.
He also points to a lack of protection from those in power, noting that the industry feels the weight of policy decisions, or the lack thereof, from the government.
“Why are they not protecting farmers? For instance, sugar has been dumped from abroad, and there are no tariffs that have been put into place, so our sugar price plummets and it affects everyone in the industry,” he explains.
Wise words for the next generation
Looking ahead, he plans a new rum and gin range by the end of the year. On the agricultural side, he says, “it is just about trying to get the best varieties as possible.”
It is this blend of innovation and hands-on grit that forms the basis of his advice for the next generation.
Rooted in his own unexpected journey from sports science to the cane field, O’Neill offers a straightforward perspective for those planning on following in his footsteps: “Are you interested and passionate? If not, you can only learn, and from there, nothing beats experience.
“Theory and knowledge are very good, doing a few courses is very good, but try and get practical work on a farm. That is the first step to achieving a good future in farming.”
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