Who we are
We are an experienced team of professional individuals, personally committed to ensuring our clients achieve their financial objectives.
Meaning behind our name
Truffles are an edible type of mushroom and are considered one of the most precious commodities in the culinary world. They are a rare, highly sought-after delicacy that requires specialist expertise to grow and harvest.
One of the things that make them so valuable is that they are notoriously difficult to find. They also have an odd shape and a distinct odour. This means that unless you know all about truffles, you are unlikely to recognise one.
In a similar way, we are experts at finding superior investment opportunities to grow our clients’ capital.
Like truffles, superior investment opportunities are scarce. Identifying opportunities with the highest growth potential at an appropriate level of risk requires specialist skills, training, and experience.
It is essential to know what to look for, where to look, and understand the timing. Moreover, one needs to recognise the true potential of an opportunity that may not be obvious to most of the market.
Our name is testimony to our commitment to unearth true value for our clients by delving below the surface.
The essence of Truffle
Our purpose is to achieve long term investment success for our clients. We believe experience provides perspective, uncovers opportunity, and guards against risk.
44
Employee owned
8
Number of carefully selected funds
R84
Assets under management
220
Combined investment team experience
13
Dedicated investment professionals
24
Effective black ownership
63
Female employees
Facts as at 31 May 2024.
Our culture is based on idea meritocracy, where the best ideas find their way into the funds.
Through our team-based approach, we harness individual thought, accountability, and experience to collectively deliver the best investment outcomes while reducing key man dependency.
We value the benefit of creativity and diversity of skill across our team which is coupled with deep fundamental research and analysis. Our flat structure and open culture ensures every team member is encouraged to engage in debate.
We believe investing for tomorrow’s returns means to invest with a responsible mindset. Considering the longevity of people and planet when assessing an investment opportunity forms a critical part of our investment process and delivery of our clients’ investment success.
Transformation is naturally embedded into our company ethos and approach. We fully support progress to a fair and equitable industry in South Africa.
Our people define who we are. Our entrepreneurial working environment supports on-the-job learning for less experienced team members and empowers every individual to develop their expertise.
Our story
Key milestones
Established by a team of experienced and passionate investment professionals in 2008, Truffle has grown into an award-winning specialist asset manager.
Founded by Louis van der Merwe and Hannes van der Westhuyzen.
Launch of our 1st product – Black Truffle.
Truffle becomes authorised as a unit trust manager under CISCA.
Established the Truffle Balanced Fund, our first Regulation 28-compliant fund.
Truffle’s Assets Under Management exceeds R15 billion.
Truffle is appointed as one of the Nedgroup Investments Best of Breed™ managers.
The Truffle SCI* Income Plus Fund wins 2 Raging Bull awards on 28/01/2020 for:
- Best South African Interest-Bearing Fund
- Best South African Interest-Bearing Short-Term Fund.
Awarded 2 Raging Bull Certificates on 02/02/2021 for:
- Best South African Multi-Asset Low Equity Fund – Amplify SCI* Wealth Protector Fund
- Best South African Interest-Bearing Short-Term Fund – Truffle SCI* Income Plus Fund
Truffle’s Assets Under Management exceed R50 billion.
Awarded 2 Raging Bull Certificates on 01/02/2022 for:
- Best South African Multi-Asset Low Equity Fund – Amplify SCI Wealth Protector Fund
- Best South African Interest-Bearing Short-Term Fund – Truffle SCI Income Plus Fund
Truffle wins 2 awards at the Morningstar South Africa Fund Awards held on 23/03/2022:
- Best Bond Fund under the fund category awards
- Best Fund House – Smaller Fund Range in the fund house category
Truffle wins 4 awards at the Morningstar South Africa Fund Awards held on 23/03/2023:
- Best Fund House – Smaller Fund Range for the 2nd consecutive year
- Best Bond Fund – Truffle SCI* Income Fund
- Best Moderate Allocation Fund – Nedgroup Investments Balanced Fund
- Best Aggressive Allocation Fund – Nedgroup Investments Managed Fund
The Amplify SCI* Wealth Protector wins the Raging Bull Award for Best South African Multi-Asset Equity Fund on a risk adjusted basis on 28/02/2023.
Full details and basis of the awards are available from the manager.
Why Truffle?
Who we are and how we approach investing makes Truffle unique.
We have fostered an open and dynamic culture where every idea is explored and debated, where decisions are executed swiftly with conviction and where our dedication to the commitments we make to our clients drives our purpose.
