|
|
 |
SmartStuff: “Good Leaders do not panic when their business is at a low. You do not save a business by pulling your head into your shell! Be bold in getting the market’s attention back on you… Only sales can fix cashflow, so spend on marketing like you have no problems!” Johan Eksteen, SA Food Management Specialist |
|
6 March 2020 Hi, and welcome to this week’s newsletter!
A few stories really grabbed my attention for this week… the first being Burger King’s daring and risky US ad strategy promoting its now clean-label Whoppers. Check it out for yourself – contrarian with amazing photography and, of course, we can rely on Nando’s to add a cheeky riposte!
Second, the news that Nestlé has sucessfully found a way to mitigate human cat allergies – via a ton of R&D and culminating in a new cat food. Really remarkable!
Third, I came across some fascinating research into the microbiome of Mongolians, a tribe who turn the lactose-intolerace theory on its head, and how this may add to the tome of work being done to get a fuller understanding of the trillions of friends/foes in our guts.
Enjoy this week’s read!
Brenda Neall Publisher/Editor
Please contact me for quotes and info on our super-effective, super-affordable advertising possibilities! |
|
 |
|
Looking for quality personnel? We can help! Reach thousands of food industry professionals via listing your openings on FOODStuff SA! Or beat costly head hunters by trying our super-effective, dedicated mailers to find the skills you’re after. |
|
|
|
|
|

JSE-listed Tiger Brands has officially opened its new Oat Mill for its first and oldest product – Jungle Oats – in Maitland, Cape Town. Jungle Oats’ history dates back to 1920 when immigrant, Jacob Frankel, opened the original Tiger Oatery in Moorreesburg, Western Cape. The factory, which launched the Tiger Brands Group, produced Tiger Oats, […]
Organised-crime syndicates are muscling in on a share of the profits of southern Africa’s lucrative avocado and macadamia nut markets, the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime reports. Markets for agricultural produce may not be commonly associated with organised crime, corruption and violence. But for people in South Africa’s farming sector, it may come as […]
Tongaat Hulett Starch, the successful starch business of the troubled Tongaat group, will be sold to Barloworld for R5.35bn. in a move to reduce its R13bn debt. Tongaat, which recently reported a headline loss of R314m for the six months to end-September, is selling assets to cut debt by R8.1bn by March 2021. The former […]
|
|
|
|
|
|

We aren’t living in stable times; the world is changing, and what’s more, our priorities as consumers are changing. How will these different priorities impact on food packaging and labelling? As a copywriter, there are few better ways to speak directly to your target audience than grabbing their attention from the supermarket shelf and making […]
Mintel, expert in what consumers want and why, believes there are two key 2020 packaging trends set to transform the global packaging landscape in the year/s ahead. Ahead of the recycling curve: Packaging manufacturers and brands must continue to develop and commercialise recyclable package innovations even if the capabilities to recycle them do not yet […]
Burger King’s risky/audacious new ad featuring a mouldy burger has been a publicity triumph, but then along came Nando’s atrolling…. Said SA advertising commentator, Andy Rice, on Cape Talk/Radio 702:“I think Burger King was looking the other way at McDonald’s when Nando’s came zooming in. “Burger King in America was making reference to the fact […]
Burger King has elicited massive publicity – and visceral but impactful reactions – to another controversial ad launch, the ‘Moldy Whopper’ campaign. Burger King has announced the removal of artificial preservatives from the Whopper in more than 400 US locations, an endeavour that will reach all American outlets by the end of this year. The […]
Nestlé Purina has developed the first and only cat food that reduces the allergens in cat hair and dander. Nestlé’s new cat food, Purina Pro Plan LiveClear is a 100% complete, nutritious and balanced dry cat food that significantly reduces the allergens in cat hair and dander in as little as three weeks when fed […] |
|
|
|
 |
|

High pressure processing has been in the foodbev processing news for some 20 years. A leading player in the game, Hiperbaric, recently released a new machine concept for processing liquid in bulk, greatly opening scope for the technology. The new Hiperbaric 525 Bulk and 1050 Bulk systems (pictured above) are capable of processing up to […]
A group of leading nutrition scientists, mainly from the US, has agreed that the most rigorous and current science fails to support a continuation of the US government’s policy limiting consumption of saturated fats. Following a recent two-day, Washington DC-based workshop entitled “Saturated Fats: A Food or Nutrient Approach?” the group released a consensus statement detailing […] |
|
|
 |
|
Now on DRINKStuff SA! |
|
|

Distell’s has just dropped a “Jean-ius!” new Savanna cider flavour on the market, adding more options to its ever-growing drinks portfolio. “Life’s too short not to try the new Juniper-flavoured Savanna Jean”, according to the Savanna brand’s social media accounts. The new variant joins the line-up of Savanna Dry, Light, Dark, Loco, Blackbeard, Angry Lemon, […]
News just to light, is that Namibia Breweries (NBL) has introduced Windhoek Non-Alcoholic to its premium Windhoek range. The new non-alcoholic (less than 0.5%) alcohol beverage was officially available on shelf in Namibia from September 16, 2019, but it’s not yet clear when it might join a growing list of alcohol-free beers in SA [awaiting […]
SA’s craft gin craze is everywhere as hobbyists turn their garage and stoep ventures into profitable businesses. But who’s really crafting fine gins, and who is hoodwinking with flavoured vodkas? It happens – happily, the genuine gins are in the ascendance, reports the Daily Maverick’s TGIFood – and who offers this guidance. There are numerous […]
Big alcohol brands are following, not leading. And where they are headed is alternative drink categories, many of them “hard” versions of non-alcoholic beverages. Hard seltzer surpassed $500-million in sales in 2019, according to the media and consumer research firm Nielsen, growing more than 200 percent in 2019. It took a bite out of light […]
Coca-Cola North America is launching “breakthrough beverages” in emerging categories – including kombuchas with less sugar, cultured ciders, keto-friendly smoothies and cold-brew coffees – in record time. “Category blurring” is now a predominant theme across industry, as large and established players quickly move into what was once considered a playing field for small businesses and […]
The craft beer bubble hasn’t quite burst, but it is beginning to look as if it’s being stretched to its limit. As more big brands buy into the trend, this article looks at the implication of craft beer going corporate. Following years of explosive growth, the craft beer industry stalled somewhat in 2018. The number […]
Premium bottled smoothie producer, Odwalla, owned by Coca-Cola, has launched a “carb-conscious” zero-sugar, keto-friendly smoothie line. The on-the-go, protein beverage has three flavours: Dark Choco-Berry, Strawberries & Cream and Vanilla Matcha. Odwalla Zero Sugar is vegan, kosher and gluten-free, containing 5g of plant protein, 3g of net carbs and 110 calories or less per bottle. […] |
|
|
|
|
They said it….
Coke be nimble, Coke be quick
“BEING nimble doesn’t mean cutting corners. It means approaching challenges from different angles and finding ways to parallel-path and operate with flexibility. “We hear a lot about speed to market these days. But speed by itself isn’t a competitive advantage – anyone can go fast. “The key is identifying potential big bets, starting small and learning before making significant investments and launching at scale. That’s what we do.” Susan Zaripheh, Group Director of Transformational Innovation at Coca-Cola, read more |
|
|
|
They said it….
Ultra-Processed Foods. Que? “Our relationship with ultra-processed food is so extensive and goes back so many decades that these products have become our soul food, a beloved repertoire of dishes… “Evidence now suggests that diets heavy in UPFs can cause overeating and obesity.
“Consumers may blame themselves for overindulging in these foods, but what if it is in the nature of these products to be overeaten? Bee Wilson, writing in The Guardian, read more |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interesting reads around the web this week…. |
|
|
SA’s listeriosis outbreak documented in prestigious medical journal SA’s tragic listeriosis outbreak — the world’s biggest — has been meticulously documented in an article recently published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine. The article reveals how “whole genome sequencing” technology overwhelmingly proved that the source of the outbreak was polony produced by Tiger Brands’ Enterprise factory in Polokwane, Limpopo.
GM maize export potential as Zimbabwe lifts ban A dire shortage of maize in Zimbabwe has seen that country lift its long-time ban on GM maize imports. This will be to the advantage of South Africa, which produces predominantly GM maize.
Study finds sugar content as key factor for people when making healthy food choices Researchers have found that sugar content is the most important factor for people when making healthy food choices – overriding fat and salt.
Customize 2020: three things businesses must consider when personalising their products The Spoon, a website dedicated to the food tech revolution, held its first-ever summit around food personalisation in NYC. “Customize” brought together startups, researchers, investors, and innovators across the food industry to discuss the concept of personalisation in the food industry and how companies can strategically apply it to their businesses.
How do they make plant-based meat behave like beef? Texture, appearance and flavour: These are the elements of meat that the new vegan alternatives from the likes of Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat are trying to capture, with varying degrees of success. Here’s how they do it.
Shoppers deserve clarity on ‘light’ alcoholic drinks The low and non-alcoholic drinks movement is massive. But drinkers who want to moderate lack clear, consistent information.
The answer to lactose intolerance might be in Mongolia Mongolians’ DNA says they can’t digest milk, yet their diet relies on dairy. A researcher investigates why. Fascinating research that also adds to the immense work being done to better understand the human microbiome and its role in our health.
The online wellness industry: why it’s so difficult to regulate Netflix recently released Gwyneth Paltrow’s new six-part series, The Goop Lab. Each episode explores an area of the wellness industry, including psychedelics, cold therapy, lifestyle interventions, female pleasure and sexual healing. The series has received criticism from the scientific and medical community with experts concerned about Netflix legitimising pseudoscience and misinformation.
First food in space: Toothpaste tubes of applesauce and beef Astronaut food has drastically improved over the decades, but the monotony of the menu remains a challenge for long-term spaceflight.
|
|
|
|
|