Food & Beverage Reporter June 2018

JUNE 2018 

Processing Reporter 

Reporter 

WHERE’S 

WOOLIES 

GOING? 

CEO ZYDA RYLANDS 

TALKS THE WALK ... 

Could you 

live in 

a world 

without 

chocolate? 

(You might have to) 

CANNABIS-INFUSED FOODS ARE SMOKIN’ HOT 

GO SOCIAL: THE POWER OF INTERACTIVE LABELS 

THE TRUTH ABOUT ‘PORTION DISTORTION’

JUNE 2018 

HIGHLIGHTS 

GOING TO POT 

Cannabis + foodbev 

= big bucks 14 

SWISS CHEESE & LISTERIA: 

HOW TO PREVENT A DISASTER 20 

SUNSPRAY’S DAVID WATSON 

BIDS INDUSTRY FAREWELL 10 

COVER STORY 

ZYDA’S MISSION 

Woolies’ CEO on the 

challenges ahead 6 

INTERACTIVE LABELS 

The future is (VERY) social 32 

FINDING THE SWEET SPOT 

OF NEW PRODUCT DEV 26 

PORTION DISTORTION: 

YES, IT’S TRUE 34 

OUR WORST NIGHTMARE 

A WORLD WITHOUT CHOCOLATE 

16

EDITORIAL 

“Best Before” has gone 

way past its sell-by date 

& 

Reporter 

Wasted food is just criminal in 

a society like ours where so 

many people live on the edge of 

subsistence, or have fallen right through 

the cracks. 

Each year, some 1.3 billion tons, 

or one-third of all the food produced, 

is thrown away, according to the 

United Nations’ Food and Agriculture 

Organization. Recovering just 25 percent 

of that wasted food could feed 850 

million hungry people – effectively ending 

world hunger. 

Slowly but surely, the food waste 

wheel is beginning to turn. In 2016, for 

example, France became the first country 

in the world to pass a law forbidding 

supermarkets from throwing away 

their expired foods, compelling them to 

donate the food to charities. 

It’s a powerful intervention that, you’d 

think, would be embraced in this country. 

But I ain’t heard anything, have you? 

A few weeks ago, UK supermarket 

giant Tesco pushed the anti-food-waste 

trolley a little further when it announced 

it was removing "Best Before" labels from 

many of its fresh produce lines. 

It will affect about 70 pre-packaged 

produce lines, including apples, potatoes, 

tomatoes, citrus fruits and onions. 

Tesco will be asking their 

customers to start using their eyes to 

evaluate the freshness of their produce. 

It’s a welcome return to sanity. 

The best before label has always been 

a middle-class conceit that supermarkets 

have pandered to for far too long, and it’s 

time our supermarket groups adopted 

the same strategy as Tesco. 

Talking about waste, on Page 23 of 

this issue we share the good news about 

the remarkable recycling achievements 

of PETCO. 

It really is impressive, with over 

2 billion PET bottles recycled in 2017, 

putting SA among the world leaders with 

a 65% PET recycling rate. 

Great work! 

Bruce Cohen 

editor@fbreporter.co.za 

Publisher & Editor 

Bruce Cohen 

editor@fbreporter.co.za 

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Administration 

Alice Osburn 

admin@fbreporter.co.za 

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2 JUNE 2018 | FOOD & BEVERAGE REPORTER www.fbreporter.co.za

Selected news items provided by www.foodstuffsa.co.za and www.drinkstuff-sa.co.za 

KERRY BUYS SEASON TO SEASON 

By BRENDA NEAL 

Ireland’s Kerry Group continues to 

expand its South African presence 

with the purchase of the super-successful 

Jo’burg-based flavour company, Season 

to Season. 

Kerry says: “The acquisition 

will enable Kerry to draw on 

Season to Season’s R&D 

capabilities and technical 

expertise in snack seasonings to 

help customers meet the demand 

for innovative snacks. 

“The unique offering and 

technical know-how of Season to 

Season also fortifies Kerry’s Taste 

portfolio, allowing the company 

to deliver authentic, wholesome 

and delicious snacking 

experiences to consumers in Sub- 

Saharan Africa and beyond.” 

This statement belies 

the fabulous feminocentric 

entrepreneurial success story 

that is Season to Season, and 

the very reason it has surely spent 

many undeclared millions in acquiring 

the business. 

It began in 2003 when founder Ronel 

Venter decided to go out on her own 

after a successful seven-year stint with 

McCormick as its sales director that 

developed her flair for sales, business, 

the savoury snacks game and the 

creation of winning flavours. 

Her one-woman enterprise had a 

lowly genesis: hiring production time 

from a factory at night to blend her 

seasonings and then doing sales calls and 

stock deliveries by day. 

Over time, the business grew and 

she secured her own 600 m2 factory. It 

did not take long for Season to Season to 

outstrip this space and 15 years later it 

resides in two ISO 2200 certified-factories 

in Northriding, Jo’burg. 

Venter was joined in 2006 by 

business partner, Anneke Potgieter, a 

food tech-nologist and close colleague 

from her 

McCormick 

days. 

Potgieter, 

she says, is a 

gifted flavour 

R&D expert, 

and she credits 

her immense 

contribution 

as crucial in 

their growth 

and success. 

Clearly, Kerry 

values her, too, 

as Potgieter 

is already 

ensconced in the new mother ship, based 

in Durban with the Kerry R&D team. 

Season to Season boasts a headcount 

of 74, and it produces several hundred 

tons of flavours and seasoning 

monthly, serving an impressive clientele 

that includes the likes of Nando’s, 

Woolworths, Simba and Willards, among 

many others. 

As Venter comments, the snacks 

business is seriously and surprisingly big, 

with many big players falling under the 

mainstream radar. 

Venter credits Season to Season’s 

success on getting the basics right; good 

Anneke Potgieter & Ronel Venter, 

architects of Season to Season. 

relationships with clients and delivering 

on the necessities of taste, price, quality 

and service, and doing that consistently, 

irrespective of their growth tangent. 

“Apart from our technical strengths, 

we have built a strong sensory analysis 

team, and this has proved a very valuable 

tool in terms of flavour development and 

consistency,” she adds. 

And all the while, Venter has kept her 

focus on keeping her growing contingent 

of staff both satisfied and motivated: 

“Within the complexities and challenges 

of running our company, we strive to 

keep things simple. ‘Happy team equals 

happy company’,” Venter quips. 

An important factor in selling to 

Kerry, she hastens to stress, was that the 

deal would be “business as usual”, with 

no-one in Season to Season losing their 

jobs. “So much business success rests on 

people – and if people are comfortable, 

they feel happy and work hard.” 

She and Potgieter are delighted at the 

prospect of joining an international stable 

of companies within the Kerry Group, and 

all the benefits and resources it offers. 

She says Kerry is already investing in 

upgrades to the Northriding plant. 

“Kerry is brilliant, it has wonderful 

people, technologies and factories. It’s so 

exciting to be part of this international 

group, to have the backing to take this 

business to new heights,” says Venter 

And 15 years later, from bakkie to 

big time, from start-up to international 

flavour house, how do she and Anneke 

feel: “We have built a lovely company and 

we hope, in time, to prove to be one of 

Kerry’s worthiest acquisitions.” 

www.seasontoseason.co.za 


BRIEFS 

RHODES ON A BILLION RAND ROLL 

The Rhodes Food 

Group is gearing up 

for mega-growth 

with a committment 

to spending more 

than R1-billion over 

the next three years to expand production 

and improve efficency. 

In announcing its half year financials 

last month, the company said the 

investments include the installation of 

a clear-juice-concentrate plant at its 

Groot Drakenstein hub, commissioning 

a new baked beans production facility in 

Gauteng, upgrading production facilities at 

Pakco and Ma Baker, as well as a new food 

technology laboratory and 

product development centre. 

CEO Bruce Henderson 

said Rhodes Food, which owns 

15 production facilities across 

South Africa and Swaziland, 

wanted to gain more market 

share through acquisitions and 

organic growth. 

The group would also increase brand 

shares and extract benefits from recent 

acquisitions and major projects. “We will 

maintain the momentum in sub-Saharan 

Africa and expect to benefit from the 

addition of the Pakco brands to our 

product offering.” 

Rhodes Food acquired Durban-based 

Pakco in 2016 for R197m after the 

acquisition of Ma Baker Pies for R212m. 

Other RFG 

brands include 

Bull Brand, 

Magpie, Squish, 

Bisto and Hinds, 

which along 

with Pakco grew regional sales by 19.5 

percent and 7.6 percent, excluding 

acquisitions, for the period. The regional 

business accounts for 84 percent of 

RFG’s revenue. 

Henderson said Pakco performed 

ahead of expectations in its first full year 

in the group. 

“Pakco products are gaining good 

traction in the market, and the relaunch 

of the brand portfolio in March will 

add further sales momentum. 

“We have introduced 

extensive product innovation, 

new pack formats and 

refreshed packaging designs 

across the Bisto , Hinds, 

Pakco and Southern 

Coating brands,” he said. 

INTENSE SNACKING 

If you were at the Sweets & Snacks Expo in Chicago last 

month, your taste buds would have been dazzled by the 

direction the US market is heading. Cauliflower, chickpeas 

and lentils were among the ingredients cropping up in 

new snack products as veg/vegan lifestyles capture 

increasing consumer attention. 

But there was also a big focus on intense flavours 

such as blackberry habanero and fire-roasted chillies. 

New products at the show included coconut 

caramels in flavours such as ginger rum, Thai iced tea 

and Vietnamese coffee. A line of marshmallows included 

flavours like 

blood orange hibiscus, roasted walnut pecan and black 

salt coconut. 

Unique flavours are definitely the name of the game, 

with products like ginger lime milk chocolate and a banana 

rum snack mixes coming on to the market. 

LISTERIA: NOW IT’S SWEDEN 

Listeria is a truly global problem. In May, seven people died from an 

outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes in Sweden. The outbreak has 

been linked to ready meals from food company i Lidköping AB. 

The pathogen was detected on processing equipment used to 

make mashed potato for the ready meals. 

Samples of the ready meals showed the same variant of Listeria 

serotype: IVb.

THOUGHT FOR FOOD 

PROUDLY 

PRIVATE 

LABEL 

Over 20 years ago, Zyda Rylands started a career at Woolworths, steadily climbing the corporate 

ladder in finance (she is a chartered accountant), operations, human resources and as head of 

foods before taking on the CEO role at Woolworths SA in 2015. Whilst the overall Woolworths 

business has been tough going in recent times, food has been a bright light of sustained growth 

and innovation under her watch. Marisa Spiros caught up with Rylands recently and asked her 

about the challenges she and Woolies face at the very top of the South African food chain. 

What's your primary focus as CEO? 

It is on creating clarity of direction, 

building an enabling environment for 

the delivery of our strategy, and 

strengthening our leadership capability 

through a combination of high 

challenge and high support. 

Have you had mentors in life? 

I have been fortunate to work with 

incredible people and some exceptional 

leaders, who have mentored, encouraged 

and believed in me. Simon 

Susman, the current Chairman of 

Woolworths Holdings, is one of these. 

He was the first CEO I worked for 

when I joined the Woolworths Board, 

and he has guided me throughout my 

career at Woolworths. He has been an 

invaluable sounding board and advisor. 

I also need to acknowledge my 

family. They have anchored me 

throughout my life and have supported 

me in all of my endeavours. 

You were born in Cape Town in 1964 

during a volatile chapter in South 

Africa’s history. What were your early 

thoughts for your future? 

I realized early on in life that I had to work 

hard and stay focused on what I wanted 

to achieve. There are no free lunches. 

My motto in life has always been that 



“you suffer the pain of 

sacrifice or suffer the 

pain of regret” and I 

did not want to regret 

anything in life. 

What made you study 

accountancy? 

Interestingly, my first 

job was in retail as a 

shop floor assistant, 

but I did not know 

then that my career 

and long-term passion 

would be in the retail 

sector. I had always 

had a good grasp of 

numbers, so I decided 

to study accountancy. 

I received a study 

loan from a business 

associate of my father 

and worked every 

weekend and holiday 

to repay the loan. 

I completed 

a B Comm at the 

University of Cape 

Town and completed 

my Honors degree 

through the University 

of the Western Cape. 

I was very proud to 

complete my articles 

at Kessel Feinstein 

and qualified as a 

chartered accountant in 1993. 

In a nutshell, how do you describe 

your job as Woolworths CEO? 

In my role as CEO and custodian of 

this amazing brand, which covers our 

operations in South Africa and the rest 

of Africa, 

I am accountable for ensuring that 

our brand remains relevant for our 

customers and our people in a fastchanging 

retail world. That’s so that 

we can continue to deliver value to all 

our stakeholders. 

I am clear that I cannot achieve 

this on my own, and I am privileged 

to lead an incredibly passionate and 

talented team. 

You were once Woolies Director of 

People and Transformation. What a 

re your plans to develop your 

company's human resources? 

My executive team and I are passionate 

about people and committed to their 

growth and development. 

As a private label business, we 

have a reliance on specialist skill and 

deep appreciation for the strategic 

differentiation and value our people 

bring, as well as the key role they play 

in enabling our customer experience 

vision. 

Furthermore, as a business deeply 

rooted in South Africa, we are also 

conscious of the role we need to play in 

our country’s transformation journey. 

Our people development strategy 

therefore encompasses “the company 

and the country”. 

Our focus and investment are 

not only in the people development 

“It’s really great that 

what I am passionate 

about is aligned to what 

has been important 

to Woolworths for 

” 

many years. 

required to deliver our strategy, 

but also includes the creation of 

development and work experience 

opportunities for young, unemployed 

South Africans. 

It’s really great that what I am 

passionate about is aligned to what 

has been important to Woolworths for 

many years. 

As a business, Woolworths 

contributes to South Africa’s socioeconomic 

transformation and touches 

many lives through all the BB-BEE and 

transformation programmes – from 

direct shareholding participation, 

people empowerment, supporting, 

developing and growing SMMEs, and 

the difference we make in communities 

through education programmes and 

addressing food insecurity. 

Woolworths has carved a very 

profitable niche in the RTE (readyto-eat) 

category, with constant 

innovation around take-home meals. 

That comes at a huge packaging price 

in terms of waste. What is Woolies 

doing about the avalanche of RTE 

plastic it is creating? 

Through using recycled material in our 

packaging, Woolworths is dedicated 

to reducing the consumption of virgin 

raw materials in our operations. 

Packaging reduction is an important 

environmental factor that we are trying 

to address, but it needs to be balanced 

with the need to ensure that our 

products are appropriately protected. 

It is essential that our food is kept 

safe and hygienic, and that the shelf 

life is optimised so that food waste 

is not created. To us, this is using 

packaging responsibly. We also support 

the growth of South Africa’s green 

economy through waste recycling 

initiatives and making it possible for 

customers to recycle more easily. 

Woolies still uses non-compostable 

plastic bags at check-out. Isn’t it time 

to walk your talk about sustainability 

and eco-friendliness? 

We have recently addressed the issue 

of non-recyclability of our Foods plastic 

shopping bag and are happy to report 

that our new, 100% recyclable bags, are 

currently in store. 

This is a journey and we have taken 

several steps to reduce the impact of 

single-use plastic bags throughout our 

operations. Customers are encouraged 

to buy our cause-related reusable 

shopper totes, and we continue to 

promote the use of recycled content 

within our single-use plastic bags. 

By selling reusable bags we support 

140 jobs and skills development at 

two main reusable bag suppliers – 

Isikhwama, based in Cape Town, and 

Gusco, based in Uitenhage – both small 

black-owned businesses supporting 

our Enterprise and Supplier 

Development drive. 

In 2010, Woolworths introduced 

limited edition reusable bags that offer 

customers the opportunity to help save 

our endangered wildlife and marine life 

and support community development 

programmes such as Operation Smile 

and Qubheka. With our customers’ 

To Page 8 

www.fbreporter.co.za FOOD & BEVERAGE REPORTER | JUNE 2018 7


ZYDA 

From Page 7 

support, we have raised over R10- 

million for these efforts. 

How do you strike the balance 

between own brand and branded 

products? Is there a formula? 

We are a proudly private-label retail 

business. This means we make 

products, not just buy them. Therefore, 

the partnerships that we have with 

our suppliers are a key element of our 

business model. 

Woolworths has always enjoyed 

significant market share in our fresh 

produce and prepared food categories. 

In addition, to offer our customers the 

convenience of being able to do a wider, 

more complete shop with Woolies, we 

have steadily extended the breadth and 

depth of our range, particularly in longlife 

and most-wanted national brands. 

This is aligned to our strategy of 

becoming a bigger foods business and 

making it more convenient to shop at 

Woolies. However, the vast majority of 

products we sell are private-label. 

Similar to the partnerships we have 

built over many years with our privatelabel 

suppliers, we also have strong 

relationships with our branded suppliers. 

Ultimately, the objective of our 

partnerships is to give our customers 

the very best shopping experience at 

Woolworths. As such, we work closely 

together, sharing insights and data to 

better satisfy our customers’ needs. 

Woolies has led the way in removing 

sweets and other junk from checkout 

snake aisles. The rest of your 

stores still sell lots of total junk food 

– like Nestle Bar One cereal. Even 

under your own brand, there are 

lots of sugar-drenched beverages 

and products. I see sugar in the most 

unlikely products, including soup and 

sauces. Why the inconsistency? Time 

for Woolies to take a stand and clear 

ALL your aisles of junk food? 

As part of our ongoing nutrition 

commitment, we are working to reduce 

the sugar and salt content of our 

private- label food products. By the 

“Our product development 

is guided by principles that 

address salt reduction; 

saturated fat reduction; 

reduction in added / free sugar; 

assisting our customers in 

energy control through portion 

control; as well as encouraging 

fruit and vegetable intake, and 

more whole grains, legumes 

and pulses ... 

end of June 2017, we had removed 

29,3-million teaspoons of sugar and 

a further 1.9 tonnes of salt from our 

Woolworths Food products. 

We promote a holistic approach 

by providing delicious, nutritionallybalanced 

food solutions to our 

customers, while also promoting 

sustainable food production systems. 

What principles guide your product 

development? 

Our product development is guided by 

principles that address salt reduction; 

saturated fat reduction; reduction 

in added / free sugar; assisting our 

customers in energy control through 

portion control; as well as encouraging 

fruit and vegetable intake, and more 

whole grains, legumes and pulses 

Our sugar reduction approach 

across all food categories is to “Reduce, 

Remove, and Replace”, and forms 

an integral part of our long-term 

nutrition strategy. 

We actively promote healthy and 

informed choices through customer 

communications, clear nutrition 

labelling, practical tools such as 

product information lists, healthy 

food promotions and partnerships, 

such as Discovery Vitality Healthy 

Food. 

What is WW doing to support 

smaller suppliers? There is an 

argument that your quality standards 

are just too high for small suppliers to 

comply with? 

The Woolworths Supplier and 

Enterprise Development (SED) 

programme has been designed 

primarily to introduce, support and 

grow black- and black women-owned 

emerging small and medium sized 

businesses in the Woolworths 

supply chain. 

Investing resources in this space has 

allowed Woolworths to meaningfully 

contribute to building the small- and 

medium-sized business sector. Support 

is provided to these enterprises for 

a period, after which it should be 

demonstrated that the enterprise has 

reached a certain level of sustainability. 

The partnership we have with our 

established suppliers is extended to this 

programme and augments our efforts 

in growing sustainable SMMEs. 

We currently have a total of 48 

suppliers as part of this programme. 

Over the last three years, Woolworths 

has had an accumulated procurement 

spend of R1-billion with enterprise 

development beneficiaries and 

disbursed R25.6-million in loans. 

Over 381 people jobs have been 

created and conservatively, 3 632 

people are positively impacted by these 

small enterprises. This is testament to 

how the programme is contributing 

meaningfully to socio-economic 

transformation in South Africa. 

How important is online shopping in 

your retail footprint? Does it really 

have legs in the SA market, or is it 

just a nice to have for those timechallenged 

wealthy few? 

Investment in our digital capabilities 

continues to be a core focus for us. 



The face of global retailing is evolving 

quickly. Globally, online shopping is 

experiencing growth rates in excess 

of in-store shopping. Within online 

shopping, mobile is experiencing the 

strongest growth. 

Online shopping has created 

more price-savvy consumers who 

expect the in-store experience to add 

value, be relevant, personalised, and 

entertaining, while experiencing 

an efficient and effective online 

shopping alternative. 

Mobile and related technologies 

are enabling consumers to interact 

with each other and with global 

retailers directly. 

A mobile phone is our customer’s 

remote control, enabling and 

enriching their lives. With these 

technologies, our customers have the 

opportunity to choose from a huge 

selection of retailers, both locally and 

internationally. And they can compare 

us to the best in the world, so the 

expectation is massive. This affects 

every part of the customer journey – 

from browsing products and prices 

before purchase, to post-purchase 

feedback. 

However, along with the rise 

in online shopping, customers are 

also increasingly directing their 

spend towards experiences and 

entertainment. 

I have been a Woolworths customer 

for years and have one of those black 

loyalty cards. In truth, I hardly get 

much value from it considering the 

small fortune I empty into your tills 

every month. Is loyalty important to 

you? What plans, if any, do you have 

to take it to the next level? 

Yes, loyalty is an important part of our 

business. We have built an incredibly 

valuable emotional connection with 

our customers over the years – they 

love our brand – and this needs to 

be protected and nurtured. We are 

working hard to ensure we continue 

to deliver on their expectations in 

what we sell and how we sell to them 

(their experience). 

Developing a richer understanding 

of our customers and building stronger 

customer relationships is fundamental 

to being a customer-centric business. 

Our customer insights and data drive 

and inform all our business decisions to 

ensure that we offer our customers a 

compelling proposition and better serve 

their needs. 

We use loyalty tools to drive more 

personalised interactions with our 

customers. We also leverage our 

WRewards loyalty programme and 

undertake marketing initiatives that 

convey our price competitiveness and 

our difference to customers. 

We continue to invest in price, 

using data analytics to tailor price and 

promotions profitably. We will continue 

to enhance our loyalty proposition 

and offer our customers a connected 

retail experience 

You’ve led the way in mainstreaming 

organic foods into the retail channel. 

Has it been worth it? What are your 

plans for organic? Would you agree 

that organic is an over-used and 

abused word in SA? 

We focus on providing options for our 

customer to Live and Eat Well. This is 

more than a focus on organic foods. 

The Good Food Journey is the name 

we have given to our on-going pursuit 

to offer South Africa food that is better 

for our customers, better for the 

environment and better for the people 

who produce it. 

It encompasses everything from 

avoiding additives like tartrazine and 

all other azo-dyes, MSG, aspartame, 

saccharine and cyclamate in our foods, 

switching to natural colourants and 

flavourants, never using mechanically 

deboned meat, labelling ingredients 

from potentially GM crop sources and 

offering more organic and free-range 

choices, to caring for the welfare of 

animals and promoting healthy eating 

as part of a healthy lifestyle. 

Ever read a life-changing book? 

I found Nelson Mandela’s Long Walk to 

Freedom incredibly impactful and his 

capacity for forgiveness and his ability 

to bring together a nation inspires 

me daily 

What are you reading now? 

I am currently reading Almost is Not 

Good Enough: How to Win or Lose in 

Retail by Andrew Jennings 

What is the best advice anyone ever 

gave you? 

As a senior leader, always be conscious 

of how you make others feel in your 

presence.

LEADERSHIP 

What does it take for a 

company to grow from small 

beginnings into a thriving 

enterprise? Ask outgoing 

Sunspray MD, David Watson... 

NEW ERA FOR 

SUNSPRAY AS 

Watson, a chemical engineer by 

profession, retired recently 

after 39 years in the food 

industry, 28 of them at Sunspray. In his 

farewell speech at a cocktail function at 

the Wanderers Club recently, he gave 

an insight into the company's intriguing 

provenance and background. 

Sunspray started operating as 

Nutritional Foods (NF) way back in 1944 

in Industria, Johannesburg, initially 

producing food products for World War II 

refugees. 

The name change only happened in 

2006. But in the interim and in effect, 

Sunspray Food Ingredients has been 

the country’s spray-drying innovator for 

more than 50 years. The company is now 

also South Africa's largest independent 

producer of spray-dried food ingredients 

and provides for all spray-drying needs. 

At the time of inception, the 

company’s flagship product was a 

“Protone” soup that Watson described 

as "extremely nutritious" but horrible 

tasting. Nowadays, he says, customers 

are far fussier. 

The company erected its first spraydrying 

tower on the Industria site in 1958, 

and it was initially used to manufacture 

Mahewu powder for the mines. 

Thereafter, the company did contract 

or toll manufacturing of ingredients 

for other companies and installed a 

second spray dryer in the 1960s. It later 

expanded its spray drying portfolio to 

include spray-dried fruit and vegetable 

powders. 

In the 1970’s, NF became the first 

company in South Africa to produce 

coffee creamers on contract for other 

companies. It also bought Clifton, makers 

of cooldrink powders and other retail 

products. By that time, NF was involved 

in social catering markets, retail and food 

ingredients. 

Watson had enjoyed a thriving 

corporate career. However, in the 1980s 

he decided that he would rather travel 

the entrepreneurial road. Together with 

business partner Charles Akeroyd, they 

WATSON EXITS 

bought NF, bankrolled by Merhold (now 

known as Sabvest). 

Initially, Watson and Akeroyd focused 

on creating their own brands to make the 

company less reliant on contracts. Among 

product ranges developed, manufactured 

and successfully marketed were Caramel 

Powder 48000, Meaton, tomato powders 

and cheese powders - all fully spray dried. 

That allowed the food ingredients 

division to start thriving. "We grew the 

business organically during the first 

10 years," Watson said. "This included 

the erection of three new spray drying 

towers." 

Farewell to David Watson, 

who hands over the Sunspray 

leadership to René Cross. 

In 1998, Watson and Akeroyd bought 

Funa Foods and became the largest 

player in the social catering market. 

By 2004, they decided to exit the retail 

market as "we were too small a player", 

he said. 

In 2005, they purchased and 

assimilated Ovipro, that is now the 

company's Bronkhorstspruit division. 

Through this acquisition, NF became a 

major force in the egg industry. 

However, 2006 was "the watershed 

year", Watson said. That was when NF 

sold its social catering division and with it, 

the company name. 


LEADERSHIP 

Sabvest and Watson bought out his partner and rebranded 

the business as Sunspray Food Ingredients. At the same time, 

René Cross, his successor as Sunspray MD, joined the company. 

It's something of an understatement to say that Sunspray 

has done exceptionally well over the past 12 years. In 1989 it 

achieved R1-million turnover a month. 

Now, despite selling off half 

the company in 2006, 

Sunspray is achieving 

The definition of 

success changes 

through one’s life 

- David Watson 

sales of around 

R1-million a day! 

Watson says 

that translates to 

his initial investment 

increasing 

1000-fold in 

28 years. 

The final turn in his 

Sunspray journey was the 

decision with Sabvest in 2015 

to sell just over half the business to a black empowerment 

company within RMB Corvest, 

with the provision that he stayed on for three years. 

There were a few good reasons for that decision, Watson 

said: Firstly, it would radically improve BBBEE accreditation. 

Secondly, he would have a guaranteed exit strategy. And finally, 

selling to a financial institution meant that the company could 

achieve "good succession planning without external operational 

interferences" and not be in competition with customers. 

The three-year period is now over and Watson bid his 

farewell at the Wanderers Club function. 

Sunspray is clearly a success story and Watson said he was 

proud of what was achieved over the 28 years that he was at 

the helm (during this period he was also a director 

of the Consumer Goods Council of SA and is a past President 

of SAAFoST) 

However, he said, "success can mean different things 

to different people, and the definition of success changes 

through one's life". 

All businesses have stakeholders and the relationship 

between the business and its stakeholders is crucial to its 

success, Watson said. 

Critical to success are customers, suppliers and other 

service providers. Many of those who attended Watson’s 

farewell function fell into those categories, and he 

thanked them all for the excellent relationships and 

friendships nurtured over many years. 

Watson ended by saying that the most important 

stakeholders are the employees of a company. He 

thanked them all for their loyalty and dedication. And in 

handing over to Cross, he expressed confidence that Sunspray 

would continue on the successful road "for at 

least another 28 years". 

Cross has had extensive experience in the food and 

flavour industry, having worked for Nestlé, Simba and IFF 

in various management positions covering QA/QC, production, 

operations and marketing. 

Sunspray has an impressive list of clients that include DD 

Williamson, for toll spray-drying and various other multinational 

and global clients for contract manufacturing, packing 

and customised spray dried products. 

The activities of Sunspray Food Ingredients are split into 

three categories: Food Ingredients, Contract Manufacturing and 

Toll spray-drying and blending. By far the largest division is that 

of Food Ingredients. Sunspray is the appointed agent for DDW 

caramel colours and natural colours in South Africa. 

The company also serves the retail sector with its own 

brands marketed by Stafford Bros. These include spraydried 

products Country Pasture Blend, Bravo Gravy 

Powder and Housewives Cheese. Sunspray also 

manufactures house brands for leading chain stores. 

The latest addition to the company’s food ingredient 

product portfolio is a 60% creamer to complement 

an already comprehensive range of creamers. 

Sunspray has an R&D department run by 

qualified personnel. The facility is used for the 

development of new products, the improvement of 

existing products, testing of new and alternative raw 

materials and the cost optimisation of products. The pilot plant 

tower is utilised by customers for toll spray-drying trials. 

At the farewell, Cross paid tribute to Watson, saying that he 

left a "remarkable legacy" and put in place the very foundations 

that made the business such a success. 

"This company, particularly the marketing and R&D 

departments, will be somewhat emptier without him," she said. 

However, Watson has ensured that he leaves Sunspray with 

a new foundation for growth, aptly named Project Sunrise. The 

company has bought the property next door for the construction 

of a new warehouse, staff training facilities and a clinic. 

www.sunspray.co.za

WELLNESS 

THE TRUTH 

ABOUT 

‘PORTION 

DISTORTION’ 

NEW RESEARCH PUTS PRESSURE ON INDUSTRY TO SHRINK PORTION SIZE 

By MARISA SPIROS 

Food and beverage makers often 

stand accused of contributing 

to obesity and type 2 diabetes 

epidemics worldwide by increasing 

portion sizes of their products. It's a 

phenomenon that dietitians refer to as 

"portion distortion". 

Just how real is "portion distortion"? 

Will forcing the industry to reduce 

portion sizes really contribute to 

reducing the skyrocketing prevalence 

of both obesity and type 2 diabetes 

worldwide? 

New research by psychologists at 

the University of Liverpool believe so. 

They say the food industry can and 

should make a contribution by reducing 

portion sizes. 

The research, published recently in 

the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 

highlights the benefits of reduced 

product portion sizes, claiming it will 

make "healthier eating more normal". 

The researchers say that historical 

increases in the portion sizes of 

commercially-available food products 

cause "passive" overeating and this has 

contributed to the growing worldwide 

obesity crisis. This has led public health 

bodies to promote the idea that the food 

industry needs to reduce portion sizes. 

The Liverpool study looked at 

whether reducing portion size can 

“renormalize” perceptions of what 

constitutes a normal amount of that 

food to eat. It also investigated whether 

this would lead to people selecting and 

consuming smaller portions in future. 

Says study leader Dr Eric Robinson: 

“The present findings indicate that if 

portion sizes of commercially-available 

foods were reduced, these smaller, 

more appropriate portion sizes may 

recalibrate perceptions of what 

constitutes a 'normal' amount of food to 

eat and, in doing so, decrease how much 

consumers choose to eat.” 

But co-author Dr Inge Kersbergen 

added some caveats: “It is unclear from 

our research how long the effect would 

last. The effects we observed were larger 

when we examined food intake the next 

day in the laboratory than when we 

looked at portion size preference one 

week later.” 

Based on the idea that the 

immediate environment influences 

people's perceptions of what a “normal” 

portion size is, Kerbergen said that it 

was likely that the effect would only 

last if consumers encountered smaller 

portion sizes more often than supersized 

portions. 

That has led the authors to 

recommend that food manufacturers 

begin the process by reducing 

portion sizes. 

It's an interesting conclusion and 

recommendation, given Robinson's 

earlier thoughts on reduced portion 

sizes – and the idea that one way to 

achieve this is by telling people to use 

smaller plates. 

In an article in The Conversation 

in March 2017, he speaks of plate size 

recommendation as his "pet hate". In it, 

he takes exception to a "commonly held 

belief that using smaller plates reduces 

the amount of food that people eat". 

His team reviewed all the available 

research addressing this question and 

concluded: "The evidence for the magic 

of smaller plates was very unconvincing. 

There were more studies that had found 

no benefit on calorie consumption of 

dining with smaller plates than there 

were studies that supported the smaller 

plates equals eat less hypothesis. 

"Also, the studies that did support 

the smaller plate idea all came from the 

same research group.” 

Robinson and his team conducted 

their own study examining whether 

giving participants smaller bowls to 

serve themselves popcorn reduced the 

amount they ate. 

If anything, he writes, participants 

ate even more when using a smaller bowl 

compared to a larger bowl. 

One reason, he suggested, is that 

smaller bowls allowed people to give 

themselves more permission to go back 

for "seconds". That tended to offset 

any benefit from a reduced portion size 

flowing from a smaller bowl. 


TRENDS 

BY MARISA SIPROS 

A 

"pot of gold" with a difference 

is beckoning the global foodbev 

industry: dagga, pot, cannabis, 

marijuana, weed, grass … 

The fast-growing market for cannabisinfused 

foods, snacks and drinks is being 

driven by the legalisation of marijuana 

around the world, not just for medical 

use but also for recreational use. In 

these countries, especially the USA, 

cannabis edibles and drinks are already 

generating millions of dollars in revenue 

for entrepreneurs. 

And as more countries come on 

board, analysts predict big changes in 

the market. Some say cannabis-infused 

drinks could one day be “bigger 

than wine”. 

Gone are the days of homemade, 

gritty, chocolate brownies 

containing powdery cannabis grains 

that were popular in the flowerpower, 

hippie era of the 1960s. 

In its place are high-end products 

dreamt up by Michelin-star chefs. 

Ranges now include cakes, cupcakes, 

biscuits and even pizzas. The "candy" 

market is proving to be a particularly 

rich source, with cannabis-infused 

dark chocolate bars, energy bars, 

mints and lollipops. 

Beverages include cannabisinfused 

sparkling waters, herbal teas 

and coffees. 

The growth of the market is also 

due to the versatility of the cannabis 

plant’s active ingredients, known as 

cannabinoids. These can be integrated 

successfully in just about any food 

and drink product. Cannabinoids are 

responsible for pot’s myriad effects, both 

recreational and medicinal. The most 

well-known cannabinoid is THC. 

In the USA, 29 states and the 

country's capital, Washington, DC, now 

allow cannabis for medical purposes, 

although their approaches differ 

significantly. Some states allow 

medical cannabis dispensaries and 

home cultivation, while others allow 

home cultivation only. Still others 

allow dispensaries but proscribe 

home cultivation. 

Nine states in the USA, including 

California and the District of Columbia, 

have legalized cannabis for both 

medicinal and recreational use, and more 

are expected to follow by year end. 

GOING TO 

POT - AND 

COINING IT 

This has opened up the floodgates 

for entrepreneurs to offer marijuanainfused 

foods, snacks and drinks. Forbes 

magazine estimates that it is already a 

multi-million dollar business set to grow 

by up to 25% annually in the USA. It's no 

surprise that the American Specialty Food 

Association (SFA) has identified cannabisinfused 

"edibles" as one of its Top 10 

food trends for 2018. 

“As more states legalize recreational 

marijuana, the varieties of pot-enhanced 

food and beverage will increase,” the 

SFA’s Trendspotter Panel said late last 

year. “Look out for continued interest and 

acceptance in a host of snacks, treats and 

beverages with a little something extra.” 

Another market report says cannabis 

is "seducing the specialty food makers 

and marketers serving high-end retailers 

and well-heeled bellies across the 

Internet and America". 

One reason for the explosive 

growth in the USA, and California 

in particular, say analysts, is that as 

the cannabis market expands, it is 

reaching people who don't want to smoke 

the weed, but still want to experience the 

“high”. Edibles provide a "discrete, smokefree 

experience", Forbes says. 

Producing cannabis edibles/ 

drinkables has its challenges. Food 

and beverage makers face a slew of 

safety issues, mostly dose-related, and 

complications that could occur from 

combining THC with other addictive 

substances, chiefly caffeine and alcohol. 

This also raises the issue of the need for 

responsible marketing and, in particular, 

transparent labelling of ingredients. 

There's a long way to go before a legal 

cannabis edibles market could take root 

in South Africa. Attempts to have the drug 

legalised for medical use, never mind 

recreational, have stalled. 

In part, that's due to safety concerns, 

and the ongoing debate and controversy 

about just how addictive dagga can be 

and whether it presents a high risk as 


TRENDS 

a "gateway" drug that 

leads to use of harder 

substances. 

Medical doctors and 

psychologists involved in 

legalising dagga in South 

Africa believe that the 

benefits far outweigh the 

risks. Cape Town GP Dr 

Keith Scott says that South 

Africa is “lagging far behind 

the international trend 

towards dagga legalisation 

or decriminalisation”. 

Dagga has been unfairly 

demonised,” he says, "and 

is no more a gateway drug 

than tobacco and alcohol". 

Scott says that dagga is 

not even as toxic as either 

alcohol or tobacco."It is far, 

far safer, and it is definitely 

safer than harder drugs, such as heroin 

and morphine." 

Under current legislation, medical 

practitioners are still legally denied the 

right to prescribe cannabis or any of the 

commercially-produced cannabinoids 

that are approved for the treatment of 

cancer-related side effects in the US and 

other countries. 

That hasn’t stopped a burgeoning 

underground market emerging in SA, 

with a “whisper-economy” of cannabis 

oil (for medical use) as well as a variety 

of edibles and drinkables on offer. 

Globally, the biggest problem 

with dagga, and drugs in general, 

says Scott, is that they are mired 

in politics and outdated international 

treaties formed in the wake of drug 

criminalization. These treaties are 

collectively known as the “War on Drugs”. 

Argues Scott: “The war has been 

lost, and it has exacerbated drug 

problems worldwide because drugs 

by themselves generally don’t make 

people addicts. 

No drug is free from harm,” he 

says, “but any harm must be seen 

in perspective”. 


CONFECTIONERY 


Warnings that rising temperatures 

are threatening the cacao tree, 

which produces the pods and 

beans from which chocolate is made, are 

raising the spectre of a global chocolate 

shortage. 

In part, that's because of the fragility 

of the cacao plant that can only survive in 

humid, rainforest conditions. One of the 

effects of global warming, say scientists, is to 

suck moisture from the soil in which the plant 

can grow best and finally become a tree. 

As a result, scientists now predict that 

by 2050 it will be impossible for farmers 

to grow cacao trees. They say that is 

particularly the case in the Ivory Coast and 

Ghana regions, where farmers currently 

produce more than 50% of the world's cocoa. 

The experts say that rising temperatures 

and droughts will force farmers to move 

their trees to higher ground. That won't 

be an instant solution and is one filled with 

challenges, not least because competition 

for land will be fierce and many upland 

areas are already protected and restricted 

to wildlife. 

Cacao trees also take up to four years 

to grow and harvesting the pods is timeconsuming 

and labour intensive. 

That's bad news for makers of chocolate 

products because they estimate that there 

is a likely chocolate deficit of around 

100 000 tons a year over the next few years. 

That is a worrying scenario, especially 

since the demand for chocolate is already 

outstripping supply. The high demand for 

the sweet treat has increased in Europe 

and North America, with millions on the 

Asian and African continents following suit 

with a recent uptake of demand. 

Another reason for intensified demand 

is research into the manifold health benefits 

of cacao compared with cocoa, and in 

particular, dark chocolate. This has given 

chocolate pride of place in the panoply of 

health foods and has had a welcome 

spin-off for producers of a wide variety of 

food and beverage chocolate products. 

An aggravating factor, say experts, is 

that it is smallholder farmers on subsistence 

farms with old-style methods who produce 

the majority of the world's cocoa. They 

can't afford fertilisers and insecticides 

needed to increase supply and fill the 

yawning demand gaps for cacao any 

time soon. 

Could you 

live in 

a world 

without 

chocolate? 

Continued on Next Page 


CONFECTIONERY 

The bean that’s choc full of health 

Here's more good reason 

to hope that the predicted 

shortage of chocolate by 2050 is 

just gloom and doom. Research 

into the health benefits of 

dark chocolate in particular is 

growing and its reputation as 

a health food is no overnight 

sensation. 

A report from the Harvard 

Chan School of Public Health 

says that dark chocolate is 

a highly-treasured food that 

dates back to 2000 BC. At that 

time, the Maya from Central 

America, the first connoisseurs 

of chocolate, drank it as a bitter, 

fer-mented beverage mixed with 

spices or wine. 

Today, the long rows of 

chocolate squares sitting neatly 

on your store shelves are the 

end result of many steps that 

begin as a cacao pod, larger than the 

size of your hand. Seeds (or beans) are 

extracted from the pod and fermented, 

dried, and roasted into what we 

recognize as cocoa beans. 

The shells of the bean are then 

separated from the meat, or cocoa nibs. 

The nibs are ground into a liquid called 

chocolate liquor, and separated from 

the fatty portion, or cocoa butter. The 

liquor is further refined to produce the 

cocoa solids and chocolate that we eat. 

After removing the nibs, the cocoa 

bean is ground into cocoa powder that 

is used in baking or beverages. 

The Harvard report goes on to 

explain the essential differences 

Raw cacao powder, which is in demand for its health 

benefits, is made by cold-pressing unroasted beans. 

This process keeps the enzymes in the cocoa and 

removes the fat. Ordinary cocoa powder looks the 

same but has been made from roasting the beans 

at high temperature. 

between dark and milk chocolate: Dark 

chocolate contains 50-90% cocoa solids, 

cocoa butter and sugar; milk chocolate 

contains anything from 10-50% cocoa 

solids, cocoa butter, milk in some form, 

and sugar. 

Dark chocolate, by definition, is not 

supposed to contain milk. Depending 

on the quality, lower-quality chocolate 

products may also contain added 

butterfat, vegetable oils, artificial 

colours and flavours. 

It goes without saying that white 

chocolate doesn't really deserve to be 

called chocolate at all, as it does not 

contain any cocoa solids. Its constituents 

are just cocoa butter, sugar and milk. 

It is in its dark versions that 

chocolate comes into its own and 

can truly claim to be a health food. 

The Harvard report notes that 

cocoa is rich in minerals, chiefly 

iron, copper, magnesium, and zinc. 

It is also rich in plant flavanols 

that are shown to be heart 

protective. Dark chocolate 

contains up to two to three 

times more flavanol-rich cocoa 

solids than milk chocolate. 

Flavanols support the 

production of nitric oxide in the 

endolethium (the inner cell lining 

of blood vessels). That helps 

to relax the blood vessels and 

improve blood flow, thereby 

lowering blood pressure, the 

Harvard report says. 

Short-term studies have also 

shown that flavanols in chocolate 

can increase insulin sensitivity. This 

has led to dark chocolate's reputation as 

an aid to managing diabetes. 

And like all the good things in life, 

too much can be bad. Dark chocolate 

is yet another case where less is more 

when it comes to health benefits. 

The Harvard report notes that dark 

chocolate can be high in calories 

(150-170 calories per ounce) and can 

contribute to weight gain if eaten in 

excess. 

However, just as with nuts, dark 

chocolate can induce satiety and in 

that way contribute to weight control. 

Overall, eating modest quantities of 

dark chocolate may offer "the greatest 

health benefits". 

From Previous Page 

A report in Forbes magazine last year 

notes that cultivation of cacao has always 

been a risky venture. It cites aging trees 

as one limit to productivity. Another is 

disease that decimates about 30% of 

annual production. 

And then there's climate change. The 

Forbes report quotes research showing 

how rising temperatures will adversely 

affect the crop. 

But Forbes notes a "looming, more 

immediate threat" that is confronting 

producers of chocolate products globally. 

It is one that is "economic and more 

personal": young farmers in West Africa, 

who do most of the growing of the world's 

cocoa, no longer want to grow the crop 

that becomes chocolate, because it 

doesn't pay them to do so. 

As the Forbes report notes, the price 

of commodity cocoa has dropped from 

$3 000 to $2 000 per ton in the last year. 

A 2014 report by the International Labor 

Rights Forum noted that the majority of 

cocoa producers earn roughly $2 a day. 

Little has changed. There are also serious 

concerns about the use of child labour. 

In a speech at the World Cocoa 

Foundation Partnership in Washington 

last year, Ghana Cocoa Board chief 

executive, Joseph Boahen Aidoo, noted 

that prices "send signals to farmers as 

to the amount of time and labour to 

invest in cocoa production". Therefore, 

low prices continue to constitute a 

"major threat to the cocoa industry's 

sustainability and do nothing to entice 

the youth to become farmers.” 

That's all about the problems, but 

what of solutions? Experts say that 

modernising farming techniques is only 

To Page 19 


CONFECTIONERY 

NESTLE RAISES THE BAR 


AS the war against sugar gains 

increasing momentum, the 

world’s confectionery giants are 

aggressively seeking out novel solutions 

to the challenge of reducing sugar 

without compromising taste. Leading the 

way is Nestlé. 

The world's largest food company 

recently re-launched its iconic Milkybar 

chocolate with a whole new look, 

rebranded as Wowsomes, with 30% less 

sugar. 

Nestlé says that Milkybar Wowsomes, 

available in the UK and Ireland, are 

the first chocolate bars in the world to 

use the breakthrough sugar-reduction 

technology that it describes as "a 

completely new way to use a traditional, 

natural ingredient". 

The Wowsome bars contain under 37 

grams of sugar per 100 grams. 

That's 30% less than similar 

chocolate products, according to 

Nestlé – a significant reduction by 

any standards. 

It makes good on the promise 

by Nestlé chief technology officer 

Stefan Catsicas in 2016 that the 

technology really is breakthrough 

and can change the structure of 

sugar to make it more aerated, 

so that it safely "dissolves more 

quickly on the tongue". 

This allows people to 

"perceive an almost identical 

sweetness" even when much less 

sugar is used. 

Nestlé isn't resting on any laurels. 

It believes the technology can reduce 

sugar content by up to 40% in the not too 

distant future. 

The product launch is a big nod to 

the health and wellness trend that is one 

of the biggest and growing global trends 

in the industry. It's also an answer to 

the question on the lips of public health 

policy makers worldwide – and one that 

Nestlé asks on its own website: What is 

WOOLIES WINS LABEL COMPLAINT 

The controversial issue of labelling added sugars came into 

sharp focus recently when Woolworths “sweet talked” its 

way out of a complaint about one of its confectionary lines. 

Customer Sally Baikie reported Woolies to the Advertising 

Standards Authority (ASA) because she felt that the label on 

its Smooth Milk Chocolate Hearts was misleading. 

Baikie's complaint was that the front label of the 

product stated "NO SUGAR” with the words “ADDED” 

in a smaller font, whereas the print on the Nutritional 

Information panel indicated sugar content of more than 

7%. She further argued that this was not only misleading 

but also presented a potential health risk to consumers. 

Woolworths is not a member of the ASA. The company 

nonetheless responded to the complaint “in the spirit of 

responsible advertising”. 

Woolworths submitted that its Smooth Milk Chocolate 

Hearts did not contain any “added sugar” as defined in 

terms of Regulation 146 of the Foodstuffs Cosmetics and 

Disinfectants Act 54 of 1972 because the sugar present 

in the product was from lactose naturally present in milk 

solids. Therefore, sugar had not actually been added during 

the processing of the product. 

The ASA ruled in favour of Woolworths by finding that 

the statement “NO SUGAR ADDED – WITH MALTITOL” was not 

misleading in terms of its code. Its reasoning was that the 

ingredient list was clear and unambiguous to consumers 

with special dietary needs. 

While the ASA’s ruling takes into consideration that 

consumers with strict dietary requirements are unlikely 

to be misled by the “NO SUGAR ADDED – WITH MALTITOL” 

claim, attorney Karen Kitchen of Kisch IP says it is still 

questionable why Woolworths saw the need to use a 

smaller font for the word “added”. 

It is not just by chance that the Draft Guidelines to the 

Draft Regulations Relating to the Labelling and Advertising 

of Foods (R429 of 29 May 2014), provides that “legal font 

sizes … shall … be easily legible and sufficiently prominent 

to help consumers make their choice in full knowledge of 

the facts”, Kitchen says. 

The ASA ruling therefore, does not appear to consider 

instances where, for example, a non-diabetic person, who 

may not be as educated about strict dietary requirements, 

can also purchase these products on behalf of a diabetic 

person/consumer and is less likely to take the additional 

step of inspecting the product and ingredient list more 

vigorously prior to purchasing it. 

"Nonetheless, the ASA’s ruling should alert those in 

the business of food packaging to ensure that food labels 

are not only in compliance with the Advertising Codes, 

but that they also comply with the Food Labelling Laws 

and Regulations, along with Consumer Protection Laws," 

Kitchen says. 


CONFECTIONERY 

ON SUGAR REDUCTION 

your company doing to reduce 

sugar in your products? 

It's a savvy move, although 

it may not be sufficient to 

stave off all calls and moves to 

regulate products containing 

sugar with the same heavy 

hand as alcohol and tobacco 

products are regulated. 

According to Nestlé, the 

technique involves spray 

drying a mixture of sugar, milk 

powder and water to form a 

porous, aerated sugar. While 

normal sugar comes in crystal 

form, this amorphous sugar 

dissolves faster in the mouth, 

the company says. Sugar structured in 

this way is only stable in dry products. 

In beverages, the sugar would dissolve 

before anyone drinks it. Nestlé UK and 

Ireland CEO Stefano Agostini says the 

technology is the fruit of "an unrivalled 

research and development network, and 

the experts at our product technology 

center in York". 

Nestlé teams in Switzerland, the 

United Kingdom and the Czech Republic 

took just over a year to turn the 

structured sugar innovation into a new 

product. Milkybar turned out to be "a 

natural fit for the structured sugar", the 

company says. Launched in the UK in 

1936, Milkybar has retained its status in 

the intervening years as one of Nestlé’s 

most iconic chocolate brands and a 

popular choice with parents for their 

children thanks to its mild, creamy taste 

and high milk content. 

In 2007, the brand moved to allnatural 

ingredients. In 2017, milk became 

the No. 1 ingredient in the recipe. With 

the launch of Milkybar Wowsomes this 

year, milk is still the main ingredient, 

with a crispy oat cereal that is a source 

of fibre. The chocolate also contains 

no artificial sweeteners, preservatives, 

colours or flavourings. 

Nestlé say the Wowsomes launch is 

the latest step on a sugar journey that the 

company began in 2000. It established a 

formal policy on sugars in 2007. Nestlé's 

policy goal is to reduce sugars added 

in its products by an average of at least 

5% over four years (2017–2020). That 

includes desserts and ice cream. 

However, the policy is not unlimited 

and specific areas are excluded. 

Nestlé says that it "actively supports 

scientific advancements in the area of 

sugars and their effects on health". 

The company has vowed as part of 

its cereal joint venture with General Mills 

to reduce sugar in breakfast cereals 

marketed to children and teenagers to 

9g per serving. 

A world without chocolate? 

From Page 17 

a partial answer to improving yields. 

Mapping the genetic code of cacao trees 

may be another. Most cacao trees grown 

in Ivory Coast and Ghana descend from 

the same few plants in the upper 

Amazon, say scientists. 

To that end, USA chocolate giant 

Mars pledged $1-billion late last 

year towards sustainability efforts 

to save chocolate from future harm. 

According to media reports, the 

corporation has recruited University 

of California researchers to develop 

a sturdier cacao plant that won't wilt in 

drier climates. 

The hope is that these hybrids will 

be able to withstand rising temperatures 

from climate change and still produce 

high-quality cacao. 

That prompted one of the world's 

largest chocolate manufacturers, USA 

giant Hershey's, also to rise to the 

occasion. The Hershey Company has 

pledged to invest $500 million by 2030 

on cocoa-sustainability initiatives in 

Ghana and Ivory Coast. In a recent 

announcement, the Pennsylvania-based 

confectionery and snack company said 

that its "Cocoa For Good" programme will 

focus on "poverty, poor nutrition, at-risk 

youth and vulnerable ecosystems". 

“A sustainable cocoa supply depends 

on a multi-stakeholder collaborative 

approach to find solutions to the social, 

environmental and economic challenges 

facing cocoa-growing communities,” 

Susanna Zhu, Hershey's Chief 

Procurement Officer, said in a statement. 

“As a critical player in the cocoa value 

chain, we are committed to doing our 

part,” she said, adding: “The Hershey 

Company has been partnering with key 

stakeholders in the cocoa sector for more 

than 100 years. Under Cocoa For Good, 

we continue to work toward a future 

where there’s a long-term, sustainable 

cocoa supply, the natural environment is 

protected, and we are creating better 

lives for everyone.” 

Within all the hype, there is also 

hope and lessons to be learned from 

history. Some analysts say that fears 

of a world without chocolate need to 

be seen in proper perspective. After 

all, initial dire predictions envisioned 

a chocolate-less world by 2020. That 

has been pushed back to 2050. 

The reality is that shortages in the 

face of massively increased demand don’t 

always end up in complete scarcity of a 

product. Instead, the scarcity tends to 

drive prices up into the stratosphere and 

consumption spiralling downwards. 

The law of gravity aside, what goes 

down, sometimes goes up even higher. 

And next to diamonds, chocolates remain 

a girl's best friend the world over. 


Food & Beverage Reporter has partnered with Food Focus to bring you enhanced 

coverage of food safety/compliance issues. Food Focus addresses the full range 

of compliance factors which South African food businesses have to face, including 

occupational health and safety hazards, environmental demands and corporate social 

responsibility. Find out more at www.foodfocus.co.za 

By Linda Jackson 

Having spent the last 20 years of 

my life invested in food safety 

management systems in the 

South African food industry, I have to say 

the Listeriosis outbreak has caused some 

self-doubt. What have we done wrong? 

What have we missed? Seems I am not 

the only one. 

Although nothing we can do now 

will change the tragic outcome of this 

outbreak, it is imperative that in the 

root cause analysis of the incident, 

collectively as an industry we apply the 

learnings. 

It is my opinion that multiple failures 

have led to this incident. In addition to 

the company in question, other authors 

have commented on the potential role 

of the supply chain, the regulators, 

the certification bodies and even the 

auditors. 

Given the prominence of the brand, 

it is likely that many of us have been 

involved in some capacity over the 

years. Perhaps we have all contributed 

in some way to this incident too. It is 

clear from the update below from the 

NICD that we still face a number of 

challenges. LmST 6 does seem to be the 

tip of a very very big iceberg: 

“Whole-genome sequencing analysis has 

been performed on 521 clinical isolates to 

date. Of these, 85% (443/521) were identified 

as sequence type (ST) 6. The remaining isolates 

(15%, 83/521) represented 19 sequence types 

including, ST1, ST54, ST876, ST2, ST5, ST204, 

ST219. ST224, ST71, ST101, ST121, ST155, ST3, 

ST403, ST515, ST7, ST8 and ST88. 

Whole genome sequencing has been 

performed on 595 food and environmental 

isolates. Of these, 13% (79/595) were identified 

as ST6. The remaining isolates (87%, 516/595) 

represented 26 sequence types, including ST20, 

ST1, ST121, ST5. ST321, ST9, ST155, ST2, ST3, 

ST87, ST120, ST378, ST101, ST108, ST2288, 

ST31, ST7, ST11, ST122, ST14, ST37, ST4, ST54, 

ST76 and ST88.” 

What controls should be in place? 

Although we cannot generalize in 

all sectors of the food industry, as a 

manufacturer you should have the 

following levels of 

protection in place: 

1. Minimum 

compliance 

A valid certificate 

of acceptability 

issued by the local 

municipality in terms of 

Regulation 962 of the 

Foodstuffs, Cosmetics 

& Disinfectants Act. 

Its general hygiene 

requirement is as low 

as you can go. This 

certificate should 

ensure your facility is 

adequately designed 

and constructed to 

handle food. The 

waste systems should 

conform to municipal 

requirements and 

the National Building 

Regulations. 

This regulation does place emphasis 

on the training and behavior of food 

handlers – often a weak link in any food 

safety chain. It also places the full legal 

liability on the person in charge. 

There are many other regulations 

under the FCDA that relate to the 

composition of your product. 

There is the letter of the law and then 

there is the spirit of the law. Although our 

approach of our National Department of 

Health is reactive, the intention is that 

you as a responsible manufacturer 

should be proactive. 

2. Pre-requisite programmes 

Call them PRPs, GMPs or whatever you 

like, but make sure you have the basics 

in place. The focus of many retail and 

hygiene audits are the basic building 

blocks of cleaning and sanitation, 

preventive maintenance, supplier 

controls, storage and preservation of your 

product and personnel hygiene practices. 

The new draft regulation R364 which 

will hopefully soon replace R962, will 

include more of these requirements as a 

legal foundation. 

And with these requirements comes 

LISTERIA & 

THE SWISS 

CHEESE 

MODEL OF 

DISASTER 

the need for documentation to defend 

your systems and the effective daily 

implementation of the right practices. 

3. HACCP 

Once the basics are covered, we should 

be engaging in a formal risk assessment 

of the product and processes. What is it 

about YOUR product and process that 

could go wrong and in so doing harm 

the consumer? What makes ready-to-eat 

products such a high risk in comparison 

to handling ingredients like dry rice? 

What are YOUR specific hazards in 

the process and how can you be sure you 

are controlling these? And control means 

you can reduce, eliminate or prevent 

them – not manage them as best you can! 

We have seen this as a voluntary 

requirement in most sectors of the food 

chain. It’s time to revisit that thinking. 

Ensuring you as a manufacturer fully 

understand and control hazards to 

consumers health is not a nice to have – 

it’s your legal and moral obligation. 

Along with this goes the processes of 

validating and verifying those processes 

– can you trust them, and can you prove 

they work? 


4. Certification 

Taking the next step to comply with 

customer requirements can be seen 

as a grudge purchase. Surviving the 

plethora of audits has not been seen to 

add value in many companies. Having all 

the right certificates does not guarantee 

your systems, as we have seen. Ensuring 

robust internal audits are in place that 

fully interrogate your food safety activities 

should be the focus. Competent external 

auditors can then verify implementation, 

but you should be validating your science. 

Relying on external auditors during a brief 

announced visit will not be an adequate 

assessment of your system’s health. 

5. The next step 

CLEANING? 

The Swiss cheese model of accident 

causation illustrates that, although many 

layers of defense lie between hazards and 

accidents, there are flaws in each layer that, 

if aligned, can allow the accident to occur. 

If you have it all in place, where do you go 

to from here? The next step is open and 

transparent sharing of information in the 

food chain to ensure we do have food 

safety from farm-to-fork. 

Confidentiality agreements have 

hampered the progress in identifying the 

source of the outbreak. Is it time to revisit 

this thinking? Do we need a forum where 

we can share results without fear of 

litigation in order to improve our response 

times to the next outbreak? We need to 

build a bridge with the regulators not 

higher walls in order to regain consumer 

confidence. 

But we have all that in place? What 

went wrong? 

Given that we have so many layers 

of protection in place, how could an 

outbreak of this magnitude occur? Given 

what is in place, it would seem that 

company, auditors, labs and retailers all 

missed something. 

Seems we may have to consult the 

WATER TREATMENT? 

LAB TEST PROCEDURES? 

BUDGET CUTS? 

rocket scientists on this one. The Swiss 

cheese model of accident causation is 

a model used in risk analysis and risk 

management, including aviation safety, 

engineering and healthcare. It is often 

used as the principle behind layered 

security such as cybersecurity systems. 

In the Swiss cheese model, an 

organisation's defenses against failure 

are modeled as a series of barriers, 

represented as slices of cheese. 

As we have seen in food safety, we 

rely on a series of barriers previously 

discussed. The holes in the slices 

represent 

weaknesses in 

individual parts of 

the system and are 

continually varying 

in size and position 

across the slices. 

When an 

incident occurs, 

it is a result of a 

gap or failure in a 

barrier. A gap or a 

failure produces 

a weakness in 

our food safety 

management 

system. 

If we do not 

address this gap, 

with time it can, 

along with other 

gaps, cause a 

crisis. This would 

be when a hole in 

each slice (barrier) 

momentarily aligns, 

permitting (in 

Reason's words) "a 

trajectory of accident 

opportunity", so that 

a hazard passes through holes in all of the 

slices, leading to a catastrophic failure 

Each failure on its own would have 

been minor, but the cumulative act effect 

can have far reaching consequences. 

The model includes both active and 

latent failures. Active failures encompass 

the unsafe acts that can be directly 

linked to an incident. Latent failures 

include contributory factors that may lie 

dormant for days, weeks, or months until 

they contribute to the accident. Latent 

failures can be organizational influences, 

supervision, preconditions, and specific 

acts or omissions. 

In the application of HACCP and FSSC 

22000, we are required to analyse our 

hazards and the consequences. Do we 

do this in relation to the series of controls 

we apply and the potential simultaneous 

failure of one of more of these control 

measures? Is it time we also reviewed the 

effectiveness of organizational influences 

and supervision in the same way as we 

calibrate temperature probes? 

Do we truly understand our processes 

and are we reviewing the hazards and 

how they can change and adapt with the 

right level of scrutiny? 

I would respectfully suggest that we 

need to take a good look at our cheese.

IT’S BIGGER 

& BETTER 

THAN EVER! 

Our 2018 Supplier 

Directory is packed with 

info on South Africa’s 

leading foodbev industry 

suppliers. 

This year’s 40-page 

edition has more 

categories, more 

companies. It’s got 

whatever you’re 

looking for, from 

ingredients & flavours 

to packaging and 

processing equipment, 

consumables and key 

industry services. 

If you missed the 

print edition, the 

Directory is always 

available online (a PDF 

file you can quickly 

download) at: 

www.fbreporter.co.za 

Get it at www.fbreporter.co.za

GREEN ECONOMY 

REMARKABLE YEAR FOR PETCO 

Despite tough trading 

conditions and a 13% fall 

in the total PET market, 

the South African plastic industry 

recycled a record 2.15 billion PET 

plastic bottles in 2017, setting a 

post-consumer recycling rate of 

65% to put the country on par 

with international standards. 

The 93 235 tonnes of 

collected PET exceeded the 

industry target of 58% for the 

year 2017 and created 64 000 

income-generating opportunities 

for waste pickers, collectors and 

recyclers, saving 578 000m3 of 

landfill space and 139 000 tonnes 

of carbon in the process. 

This was announced by 

national industry body, PETCO, 

which is responsible for fulfilling 

the sector’s mandate of extended 

producer responsibility (EPR). 

PETCO said the 3% yearon-year 

increase in tonnage 

(versus 90 749 tonnes in 2016) was particularly significant against 

the backdrop of the political and economic instability, volatile 

exchange rates and industrial strike action, which had affected 

some of the major industry players in 2017. 

According to the organisation, water shortages in the Western 

Cape had seen an increased consumer demand for bottled water 

during the latter part of the year, which grew the waste volumes 

available for recycling in this region. 

PETCO chief executive officer Cheri Scholtz said the 

organisation was thrilled with the latest figures, which 

demonstrated both the industry’s commitment to recycling 

and the economic value of post-consumer PET in the 

circular economy. 

“Through the remarkable network of people, companies and 

organisations we work with, 5.9 million PET bottles were collected 

for recycling across South Africa every day during the course of 

2017, creating thousands of income-generating opportunities for 

small and micro-collectors, and changing their lives and those of 

their families in immeasurable ways.” 

Scholtz said PETCO members paid a voluntary recycling fee on 

every tonne of raw material purchased, which funded their efforts 

and supported a sustainable recycling industry. 

Since the organisation’s incorporation in 2004, a total of R2.3 

billion has been paid by contracted recyclers to collectors for 

baled bottles, with a total of 609 306 tonnes of PET recycled to 

date. This has saved more than 900 000 tonnes of carbon and 

almost four million cubic metres of landfill space. 

PETCO chairman Casper Durandt, who is also head of 

technical for Coca-Cola’s South African franchise, said the 

organisation’s accomplishment could not have been achieved 

without its dedicated partners. 

www.petco.co.za 

• SA’s PET industry hits new high with 2.15 billion bottles recycled. 

• 65% recycling rate on par with international standards. 

• 64 000 income-generating opportunities created.

& Processing Reporter 

Finding the 

sweet spot in 

new product 

development 

In developed and maturing markets, food and beverage 

manufacturers are struggling with slowing growth and are therefore 

seeking new growth opportunities. The challenge is establishing the 

right consumer space to identify the right customers and create the 

right kind of products. It’s a similar story for emerging markets where 

the challenge is to provide relevant consumer products, and service 

areas where there’s unlocked potential. 

Markus Boehm, Chief Market Officer at SIG, one of the world’s leading 

solution providers for the food and beverage industry, discusses 

what product innovation and differentiation really mean now and in 

the future. 

Why is product innovation becoming 

so important? 

Boehm: The way we live, work and 

consume is changing. From digitalisation 

and urbanisation to faster on-the go 

lifestyles, a whole series of megatrends 

are transforming the way people think 

of products. 

What we’re seeing is that mobile 

and connected consumers want more 

from their products of choice. They want 

high-quality, authentic and convenient 

packaging that’s easy to use, enhances 

their experience and scores in terms of 

sustainability. This means consumers 

are willing to pay premium prices for 

innovative, sustainable and differentiated 

products with real benefits. 

What are the challenges of developing 

new products? 

It’s clear that consumers are no longer 

driven purely by price. So, to gain a 

competitive edge, producers are battling 

it out to offer products that can offer 

better health, quality, and experience. 

But achieving greater product novelty 

requires the right consumer insights 

to realise new opportunities. All while 

meeting individual consumer needs 

and ensuring products stand out at the 

point of sale. 

What can producers do to overcome 

these challenges? 

Producers need to develop products for 

the next generation that enable them to 

meet changing needs and capitalise on 

market trends. But to do this, they need 

more creative design concepts, more 

filling potential for products and more 

unique packaging possibilities. 

To Next Page 


PEOPLE 

NEW MD FOR TETRA PAK SOUTHERN AFRICA 

Stefan Fageräng has taken over as MD 

of Tetra Pak Southern Africa, replacing 

John Strömblad. 

“It gives us great pleasure to 

welcome Stefan as the head of Tetra 

Pak Southern Africa as we celebrate the 

company’s 60th anniversary in South 

Africa,” says Penny Ntuli, Tetra Pak’s 

communications director for SA. 

Fageräng is an industry stalwart who 

rose through Tetra Pak’s ranks, from 

management trainee in Sweden to 

senior management, during his 27 years 

of tenure. 

He has been MD of Tetra Pak North 

West Europe, Benelux and Eastern 

Mediterranean, to name a few, as well 

as VP of Sales and Marketing in the 

company’s Processing Division. 

Fageräng has served the 

company in 12 different 

countries in nearly every 

department of its global 

portfolio. 

He graduated from 

Uppsala University in 

Sweden where he earned 

his Bachelor’s degree in 

Business Administration 

and Economics. 

Fageräng also 

completed several 

executive programmes 

in leadership and management 

at IMD in Switzerland. 

www.tetrapak.com 

Markus Boehm 

From Previous Page 

Food and beverage manufacturers 

need to find that product “sweet spot” 

that enables them to open up new 

segments and reach new target groups, 

while also growing their existing and wellestablished 

core markets. 

How can brands stand out in a 

crowded market? 

Creating more convenient or premium 

products is one thing. Making them 

authentic and unique is something 

else. To truly stand out from the crowd, 

producers can be the first in the market 

with real product innovation. They can 

broaden their portfolio and open up new 

consumer segments. And they can move 

beyond standard offerings, which in turn 

will help them reach attractive margin 

levels. Examples of how SIG is enabling 

this is with combismile, combidome and 

drinksplus. These solutions can help meet 

the demand for unique products and 

position brands in a competitive market. 

What product and packaging 

innovations can we expect in 

the future? 

Well, we can expect product innovations 

to come to life faster than ever. But 

a growing trend for the future is the 

development of more individualised 

products with smart packaging – ones 

that can be perfectly tailored to fit a 

consumer’s personality, lifestyle, 

and image. 

This move from mass production to 

mass personalisation will gather pace 

and have a significant impact on 

producers, from driving new technology 

and business models to unlocking 

value-rich data. It will require investment 

but the rewards will be great. In fact, 

according to Deloitte research, one in five 

consumers interested in personalised 

products are willing to pay a 20% 

premium. 

How is your company positioning itself 

for these new trends? 

SIG aims to drive product Innovation 

and differentiation in the beverage 

and food industry. With consumerfocused 

insights and marketing 

intelligence, the company delivers 

innovative product and packaging 

solutions that enable businesses to 

satisfy ever-changing needs. SIG is 

currently expanding its offering with a 

growing team of product and technical 

engineers, while developing test facilities 

to prototype product ideas. 

• SIG is one of the world's leading solution 

providers for the food and beverage 

industry within the field of carton packs 

and filling technology. In 2017, the 

company achieved a turnover of 1.66 

billion Euro with more than 

5 000 employees. 

www.sig.biz 

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email admin@fbreporter.co.za 


M&A 

Spain’s Iberchem snaps 

up SA’s Versachem 

Spain’s Iberchem Group is acquiring 

a majority stake in Versachem, the 

Pretoria-based specialist in food 

flavours and colours. 

Rina Wulfsohn, founder and CEO of 

Versachem, will continue to run 

the business. 

"We are glad to be welcoming 

all of Versachem's employees within 

the Iberchem Group's family," says 

Ramón Fernández, CEO of Iberchem. 

"Versachem's portfolio and expertise, 

as well as its corporate culture, are 

highly complementary to the ones of 

the Group. This acquisition will help 

us to quickly expand our offer in what 

represents a key market for both our 

flavour and fragrance divisions. It will 

definitely accelerate our commitment to 

developing unique products tailored to 

local preferences and characteristics. 

Our team looks forward to leveraging 

on Versachem's expertise.” 

Fernández said the deal comes as 

a first milestone in Iberchem Group's 

2020 strategy of accelerating its 

organic growth through mergers and 

acquisitions. The Group is also currently 

focusing on the expansion of the 

footprint and capabilities of its flavour 

division, Scentium, within key fastgrowing 

markets. 

"We are delighted to be teaming 

with the Iberchem Group," says 

Wulfsohn. "This alliance will highly 

benefit our trusted customers in 

the region, mostly by strengthening 

our existing capabilities and abilities in 

the development of innovative flavour 

solutions. It will allow both companies to 

broaden their offering in South Africa and 

its neighbouring countries." 

With a commercial presence in over 

120 countries and counting on 12 R&D/ 

production facilities strategically located 

around the world, Iberchem has become 

a leading reference in the flavour and 

fragrance industry since its foundation 

in Spain in 1985. In 2017, the group 

reported sales of €125m. 

www.versachem.co.za 

www.iberchem.com 


ANNIVERSARY 

BUCKLE’S 40 YEARS OF BAG 

CLOSING EXCELLENCE 

When Buckle Packaging 

started in 1979, it was 

with the aim of supplying 

the agricultural sector with quality 

end-of-line packaging machinery. 

As sole agents for Fischbein-Saxon 

from the USA and UK, this familyrun 

packaging company was able 

to supply a solution to the bag 

closing needs of the agricultural 

industry. 

Fast forward to 2018, one year 

short of their 40-year anniversary, 

and Buckle Packaging can boast 

of being one of South Africa’s 

leading importers and distributors 

of packaging machinery. Still family 

run, they continue to follow their 

steadfast mission of supplying 

only the best quality machinery. 

Buckle Packaging’s range of 

machinery spans from machines to 

close bags for nuts, spices, sugar, 

and fertilizer; basically any product 

that needs to be sealed or sewn 

into an open mouth bag. 

Its bagging solutions cover an array 

of different industries including grain, 

flour and sugar milling, animal feed and 

fertilizer to name a few, and is a leading 

supplier of packaging machines to the 

fruit and vegetable sector. 

Within the potato farming fraternity, 

one of Buckle Packaging’s most soughtafter 

items is the Fischbein range of bag 

stitching machines. From portable handheld 

units for lower production runs, 

through to the heavy-duty, high-speed 

in-line stitchers, this equipment is sturdy, 

durable and designed for working long 

hours. 

The high-speed stitcher is adaptable 

to all makes of carousel units, and 

uses a self-lubricating system which 

makes it reliable and sturdy for the 

tough job of packaging potatoes daily. 

The machine comes standard with a 

variable-speed pulley which allows for 

easy synchronisation to the speed of the 

conveyor or carousel. The stitch length is 

also adjustable depending on the specific 

bags being used. 

The Fischbein Auto-Bag 

Stitcher, one of Buckle 

Packaging’s range of machines. 

This packaging system is designed 

to work at high speeds, making sure the 

volumes of potato pockets are closed 

securely and within the fastest time. The 

Fischbein stitcher is completely sealed 

in oil against dust and dirt allowing for 

smooth operation. 

This system would be just as efficient 

for the bagging of other fruit and 

vegetables such as macadamias, maize, 

groundnuts, sorghum and popcorn to 

name a few. Stitching and heat sealing 

does away with wire ties and taping of 

bags which is labour-intensive and not 

as secure. Stitching and sealing of bags 

has also proven to be tamper-proof; 

product cannot be removed from the 

bag as easily. 

If it's nuts that you’re farming, Buckle 

Packaging can assist nut farmers and 

packers throughout the country with 

Fishbein-Saxon bag closing equipment. 

The larger 25kg and 50kg woven poly 

bags are sewn closed and in many cases 

bagged for export. 

If nuts are being packaged in smaller 

stand-up pouches, polyethylene or foil 

packets, Buckle Packaging recommends 

heat sealing these bags with the Saxon 

SH1000 continuous heat sealer for a 

neat closure. 

Buckle Packaging's services and 

expertise do not stop here. The company 

has years of experience in helping and 

advising you on the best system to solve 

your individual bagging problem. 

They have a large range of premium 

quality bag sewing thread. This ring-spun 

polyester product is available in various 

cone sizes for portable bag stitching 

machines, as well as industrial sewing 

systems with cones up to 10kg. The 

standard colour range is white with an 

option of six other colours. Inferior quality 

thread with knots and flaws leads to 

machine downtime and low productivity. 

This also poses the danger of product 

loss during transportation and handling. 

Buckle offers installation of their 

systems, machine servicing and repairs, 

and provides spare parts needed to 

maintain these important machines. 

www.bucklepack.co.za 


SMART IDEAS 

FLEXICON’S BAG 

CONDITIONER 

NOW LASER SAFE 

A new BLOCK-BUSTER Bulk Bag Conditioner from Flexicon 

Corporation features a laser safety curtain that automatically 

stops the system's hydraulic rams, scissor lift and turntable if 

the laser beam is obstructed, eliminating the need for safetyhinged 

doors and interlock switches for operator safety. 

The conditioner loosens densely-packed bulk solid 

materials in bulk bags by means of hydraulic rams with 

specially contoured end plates that press and release 

opposing sides 

of the bag. A 

hydraulicallyactuated, 

variableheight 

scissor lift 

with accordionstyle 

dust skirt and 

turntable allows 

conditioning of the 

bag on all sides at all 

heights. 

The number 

and pressure of 

hydraulic ram 

actuations, the 

height of the 

turntable, and 

the number of 

90-degree rotations 

are user adjustable. 

The system 

controller and 

hydraulic pump can 

be mounted on the exterior of the frame or remotely. 

The new conditioner is intended for bulk bags containing 

hygroscopic chemicals, certain types of spice blends, heatsensitive 

products, and other materials prone to solidifying 

to the point at which pneumatically-actuated flow promotion 

accessories integral to bulk bag dischargers are inefficient or 

completely ineffective. 

Available as a stand-alone unit or integral component of 

a bulk bag discharger, the unit measures 2210 mm H X 3378 

mm W X 1981 mm D, accommodates bulk bags of all popular 

sizes, and requires only an electrical power connection for 

operation. 

The company also manufactures bulk bag dischargers, 

bulk bag fillers, flexible screw conveyors, pneumatic 

conveying systems, tubular cable conveyors, manual 

dumping stations, drum/box/container tippers, weigh 

batching systems, and automated plant-wide systems 

integrated with new or existing process equipment. 

www.flexicon.co.za 

ISHIDA SOLVES 

PROBLEM OF 

WATER INGRESS 

Ishida Europe has introduced an internal moisture sensor 

and monitoring system for its latest multihead weighers, 

which will enable fresh and frozen food producers to more 

easily control and prevent water ingress into their critical 

production equipment. 

Coupled with Ishida’s advanced Sentinel monitoring and 

reporting system, this will ensure an enhanced performance 

and longer term reliability. 

Water ingress is a common problem in the fresh and 

frozen weighing and packing environment. While models 

for these applications typically have appropriate IP ratings 

and waterproof washdown designs, these cannot prevent 

incidents such as doors and drive weigh units being loosely 

torqued, or doors being inadvertently left open, even if just 

for a short while. 

In addition, air purge systems designed to push out moist 

air may be poorly maintained and lead to humid air being 

used. Excessive water or humidity within a multihead weigher 

will cause loss of machine performance and significant 

damage that can result in expensive downtime and repairs. 

The Ishida solution is three dew and temperature sensors 

placed at key points within the weigher, providing a constant 

monitoring of humidity levels and sending out a series of 

escalating alerts to operators if levels become too high. 

There are three stages of alerts. A humidity level of 

between 70% and 79% triggers a yellow alert. This humidity 

can typically be cleared by use of the air purge system. 

Humidity levels between 80% and 89% - which could occur 

if the air purge system itself is compromised - create a red 

alert that results in the weigher’s power being automatically 

switched off. It cannot then be switched back on until 

moisture levels have dropped below the 80% threshold. 

Anything above the 90% critical level will see a bespoke 

input/output module come into operation. This can be 

configured to customer requirements such as an audible 

alarm or a series of beacon warning lights to indicate that 

critical moisture levels have been reached. 

“Our multihead weighers are renowned for their reliability 

and efficiency, but the downside to this is that the machines 

can still continue to operate for a long time even in harsh 

environments where their levels of protection have been 

compromised,” explains Ian Atkinson, Ishida Europe’s 

Business Manager EMEA – Multihead Weighers. 

As a result, says Atkinson, “operators may be unaware of 

major faults until it is too late to take remedial action, leading 

to unwanted downtime and frustration. The availability of 

our moisture sensors, together with the real time reporting 

capabilities of Sentinel, eliminates this problem.” 

torsten.giese@ishidaeurope.com 

www.ishidaeurope.com 


CASE STUDY 

THE POWER OF 

INTERACTIVE LABELS 

How does a young, dynamic brand 

like Thirsti increase sales volumes 

over their summer campaign by a 

massive 45% year-on-year in an intensely 

competitive market? 

Look to the use of a ground-breaking 

interactive label concept that links the 

world of print with a mobile digital 

platform. 

The interactive label, the brainchild of 

Uniprint, was the face of the 2017/2018 

“Thirsti 4 Summer” campaign. This 

scannable label, which carried Facebook 

Messenger codes, allowed consumers to 

connect directly to the Thirsti Facebook 

Messenger page via their smartphone, 

and to interact with a sophisticated 

“chat bot”. 

The “bot”, which was driven by 

artificial intelligence (AI) software, was 

able to offer a personalised, immediate 

engagement with consumers using their 

Facebook Messenger profile. At the 

same time, the “bot” was able to advise 

on hydration and sipping frequency 

and facilitate entries for a Spin and Win 

competition on the uWina platform. 

The Thirsti project, the first of its 

kind in South Africa - and possibly 

worldwide - integrated print, digital 

technology and social media to offer 

the brand the ability to handshake with 

the client without the requirement for 

full variable data printing to achieve 

personalisation. 

The project was designed, developed 

and implemented in a mere three 

months and has paved the way for 

interactive labels to change the face of 

marketing forever. 

Design Wizardry 

The existing Thirsti label features a clean, 

contemporary, one-colour design that 

reflects the youth and dynamism of the 

company. The digital campaign required 

that the label carry promotional text, a 

scannable code and a unique number 

for the competition entry, while still 

maintaining the brand’s clean look 

and feel. 

The design team, in tandem 

with the digital team, set to work to 

creatively maximise the existing 

label space. Blue and white 

promotional graphics were inlaid 

into the existing design along 

with space for the scannable 

Facebook Messenger code. The 

team recognised that the label 

design had to make consumers 

feel confident they could easily 

navigate through to the Facebook 

page as well as handle the 

competition entry. 

The size and placement of the 

scannable code and the sequential 

numbering involved late nights, 

extensive trials and plenty of 

technical knowledge and skill. Placing 

a scannable code on a curved bottle 

surface that could be read by any 

smart phone was by itself a huge ask. 

Software Wizardry 

Behind the scenes, further work 

was going on at UNIPRINT and its 

partners. While the “chat bot” was being 

developed, so that it could successfully 

engage with consumers, the Spin and 

Win competition was also evolving. 

Crucial to the promotion was a 

system that could process the unique 

number found on each bottle via the 

Facebook Messenger page. 

This ensured that consumers could 

only enter the competition by purchasing 

a bottle but also provided a database for 

tracking and delivering prizes as well as 

valuable marketing information. 

The competition team had to ensure 

that the prizes, which varied from 

cellular data to shopping vouchers, were 

purchased, recorded and delivered 

correctly. The campaign attracted over 

12 000 entries over a three-month 

period, which was unusually high for such 

a promotion. 


Printing Wizardry 

The decision to print the label flexographically required 

plenty of technical know-how from Uniprint. The promotional 

label design, which anticipated a cmyk print, was reproduced 

in three spot colours to ensure tight registration and 

therefore, perfect “scannability”. The Facebook Messenger 

codes were reproduced using barcode-printing technology 

and, critically, any gain in the print process was compensated 

for in the repro stages. 

It was essential to ensure that the flexo plates were 

sufficiently durable to maintain the accuracy over the long 

print runs that were required by the customer. 

The messenger codes and label design were printed in-line, 

in blue, onto the white ink - as opposed to directly onto 

the substrate. Ink choice and compatibility were critical. 

The white background had to be sufficiently opaque in 

order to prevent the Messenger code’s scannability being 

compromised by light reflections through the bottle. The fine 

type on the clear label is testament to the quality of the 

flexo printing. 

“Success is no longer about who 

has the biggest factory or the 

largest range of equipment.” 

- Uniprint MDGrant Hubbard 

The chosen substrate was an ultra clear polypropylene 

so that the self-adhesive label would have a “no-label” look, 

critical to the established brand identity of Thirsti. 

The unique variable number for the competition was 

ink-jet printed during the final rewinding process, as opposed 

to on press. This was to ensure that no numbers were lost in 

the set-up stages and roll changes through the process. 

The “Thirsti for Summer” campaign was so successful that 

Uniprint had to produce a second run of labels. 

To ensure success of the promotion and drive awareness 

of the new engagement technology and competition 

possibilities, Uniprint’s partners at Hirt & Carter reproduced 

the concept design on in-store, point-of-sale stands, 

wobblers, banners and shelf talkers. Ultimately, the campaign 

drove a surge in sales for Thirsti. 

Uniprint MD Grant Hubbard puts it in a nutshell, “Success is 

no longer about who has the biggest factory or the largest 

range of equipment. The market is challenging us to combine 

technologies in new and innovative ways, so that we can 

offer customers new and innovative solutions in order to 

differentiate themselves in the market. In the past, media 

and print technologies were often seen as rivals but now they 

are in partnership. They complement one another. We’ve 

taken full advantage of our partners’ capabilities to harness 

complementary technologies and create unique solutions.” 

Adds Hubbard: “We are continually up-skilling our 

workforce and our technology so that what was considered 

impossible just yesterday is a reality today. It’s a very exciting 

time for everyone.” 

www.uniprint.co.za

FOOD SAFETY 

PATHOGEN CONTROL FOR MEAT/POULTRY 

ANTIMICROBIAL SPRAYS: 

EFFECTIVE & VERSATILE 

In the aftermath of the Listeria disaster, Josh DeVoll looks at the benefits and 

challenges of using antimicrobial sprays to keep pathogens at bay. 

When it comes to food safety, 

there is no room for risk-taking. 

The challenge isn’t whether to 

protect products against pathogens; it’s 

to identify the best approach for your 

processing operations. There are many 

options available and technology is 

changing rapidly. 

In this white paper, you’ll learn a 

bit about the different approaches 

to pathogen control and a lot about 

one technology that is highly effective, 

versatile and lower cost than other 

options: applying antimicrobials to 

processed meats/poultry prior to 

packaging. 

There are four equipment options for 

treating meat and poultry for pathogen 

protection and each relies on different 

technology. 

1. Ultra pasteurization 

2. High-pressure pasteurization 

3. Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) 

4. Spray application of antimicrobials 

1. ULTRA PASTEURIZATION is the 

process of thermally treating packaged 

meats at elevated temperatures. Exposure 

to these temperatures must be at 

the surface of the meat for a length of 

time such that all potential contamination 

is exposed to the treatment. Under the 

right conditions, this method can be 

effective. 

This method doesn’t work with 

overlapped products because it 

requires a prolonged exposure to heat. 

Depending on the type of product, 

organoleptic properties also become 

a concern. 

2. HIGH-PRESSURE PASTEURIZATION 

(HPP) utilizes high pressure at between 

1 000 to 88 000 psi to kill pathogens. 

It is extremely effective and typically 

achieves 4-8 log reductions, but can limit 

production because it is a batch process. 

3. MODIFIED ATMOSPHERIC 

PACKAGING (MAP) uses specific 

packaging in which the internal 

atmosphere of the package is flushed 

with N2, CO2, CO or a mixture of those 

elements. MAP is effective for shelf 

life extension and has no effect on 

organoleptic properties. However, the 

effectiveness of the process is dependent 

on the packaging. The use cost of MAP 

is generally twice the cost of traditional 

vacuum packaging. 

4. SPRAY APPLICATION OF 

ANTIMICROBIALS is the fourth option. 

The antimicrobials are often applied in 

the package but it can be done prior to 

packaging as well. The system enables 

easy adjustment of the volume of 

antimicrobial being applied 

Antimicrobials come in a variety of 

forms and options must be carefully 

evaluated. Factors such as ingredients, 

efficacy and handling, shelf life, clean 

labelling requirements, application 

requirements and cost can vary widely, 

and will drive the ultimate selection. Keep 

in mind that the application equipment 

can have a significant impact on the 

effectiveness of the antimicrobial. 

Most antimicrobials are shipped in 

a concentrated form and require mixing 

on-site with water at a determined 

ratio. The storage temperature of the 

concentrate and mixed solution may 

differ so be sure to understand the 

requirements early in the evaluation 

process. 

Also, keep in mind that most 

antimicrobials have a shelf life after being 

mixed, usually one to five days. 

Some antimicrobials must be listed 

on product labels; some do not. It 


FOOD SAFETY 

depends on whether the antimicrobial is 

considered a processing aid. 

BEST PRACTICES 

• Applying antimicrobials in the package 

is ideal. The package is the last point 

of intervention after exposure to other 

potential sources of contamination, 

such as conveyors, tables and 

personnel 

“Applying antimicrobials 

with spray equipment 

offers many advantages 

over other technologies.” 

• If spraying just prior to packaging, 

choose a point where contact surfaces 

of the product are accessible. If the 

product comes into contact with other 

surfaces after application, be sure 

those surfaces have been sanitized. 

• Trim and other products that are going 

to be ground should be sprayed with 

antimicrobial prior to grinding. Exposed 

product surfaces that could have 

potential contamination are lowest at 

this point. The antimicrobial is typically 

sprayed into a blender or mixer. 

• Any type of equipment that comes 

in contact with the products should be 

sprayed periodically with sanitizers to 

limit the spread of contaminants. 

• Consult with experts. Spraying 

antimicrobials requires a high-level of 

precision and is not attainable with 

workers using spray bottles or holes 

drilled in pipes 

DILUTION, MIXING AND DOSING 

Nearly every antimicrobial comes in a 

concentrated form and requires dilution. 

Antimicrobials can be mixed manually. 

However, because manual mixing is 

operator dependent, it isn’t very precise 

or repeatable. 

Automated mixing/refill equipment 

eliminates the variations found in manual 

mixing and reduces the potential for 

contamination. When antimicrobials 

are exposed to airborne bacteria 

and surfaces such as containers, the 

opportunity for contamination exists. 

Most processors run a variety of 

products on a single line. Each product 

may require a different volume of 

antimicrobial. Spray equipment should be 

able to easily and quickly accommodate 

different products. In fact, it should 

be as easy as a couple of taps on a 

touch screen. If physical changes to the 

equipment are required, quality control is 

typically compromised. 

The efficacy of antimicrobials is 

based on the concentration and volume 

applied. An automated refill system can 

help ensure the proper concentration 

is achieved. The volume of antimicrobial 

applied is just as important. 

Over-application of the antimicrobial 

can cause a variety of negative effects: 

• Customer satisfaction may decrease as 

over-application can create unpleasant 

smells or liquid in packages 

• Regulatory limits can be exceeded and 

result in fines or recalls 

• Costs can spiral out of control. 

CONCLUSION 

Applying antimicrobials with spray 

equipment offers many advantages over 

other technologies. Cost, ease-of-use 

and precision application are attractive 

to processors of all sizes. Depending on 

which antimicrobials are used, shelflife 

extension, cleaner labels, improved 

customer satisfaction. 

• Josh DeVoll is a Director of Market 

Solutions at Spraying Systems 

Co, headquartered in Chicago. It 

is represented in SA by Monitor 

Engineering. 

www.spray.co.za 

CALL US FOR ALL YOUR EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS 

Various machines - ranging from Vacuum Tumblers, Injectors, Sausage Fillers, Vacuum machines, 

Clippers and many more.... 

Pallet washer Brine Injector Vacuum Tumbler Hygiene Station Crate Washer/Sanitiser Bowel Cutter 

• Tel: +27 11 664 8212 • Email: info@bmpe.co.za 

• www.bmpe.co.za 

Branches in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban

DINNERMATES 

Tel: +27 11 462 0020 

+27 11 032 8600 

Fax: +27 11 462 0032 

sales@dinnermates.co.za 

www.dinnermates.co.za 

Suppliers to the hospitality and 

food industries of quality portioncontrolled, 

chilled, frozen and dried meat products. Service 

excellence, innovation and flexibility give Dinnermates the 

edge in providing meat and chicken products tailored for 

special applications in the food industry. 

PHT-SA TRADING 

INTERNATIONAL 

Tel: +27 861 777 993 

info@pht.co.za 

www.pht.co.za 

PHT, your partner for hygiene and technology, plans and 

offers hygiene, food safety and technology solutions for 

food and beverage companies of any size; personnel 

hygiene equipment, change room equipment, drain 

technology, cleaning machines, foam cleaning technology, 

consumable goods, ergonomic handling systems, doors 

and components, deboning conveyor and racking systems, 

stunning and slaughter systems, water treatment systems, 

smoking and cooking systems, wood, pan releasing agents, 

speciality ingredients. 

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY 

MATRIX SOFTWARE 

Tel: +27 16 423 5537 

Fax: +27 86 605 5406 

info@matrixsoftware.co.za 

• Complete software solution 

for the food and meat industry 

• Full traceable stock control 

• Full MRP and traceability solutions 

• Specialists in meat systems (abattoir/debone 

/processing) 

• Retail point of sale 

• Scales, label printing and probes integration 

• Recipes and yield control systems 

• Integration with most known financial systems 

AROMATECH FLAVOURS 

Tel: + 27 10 010 6147 

+ 27 11 452 1760 

admin@aromatech.co.za 

www.aromatech.co.za 

For the past 30 years, Aromatech has specialised in the 

development and manufacture of flavours for snacks. 

Today, besides snack seasonings, with the co-operation of 

some of the world’s finest French flavour chemists, we now 

offer flavours for the whole of the food, dairy, pharmaceutical 

and beverage industries. 

We are also able to offer single vitamins and vitamin 

pre-mixes, of the highest quality. 

Aromatech will not compromise on quality, and offer 

extremely competitive prices, low minimum order quantities 

and outstanding technical and personal service. 

We are passionate about what we do. Make us your 

next flavour partner. 

LAKE FOODS 

Unit 2 Galaxy Office Park, 

17 Galaxy Avenue, Linbro Business Park, Sandton 

Tel +27 11 409 5000 

www.lakefoods.co.za 

Lake Foods is the exclusive 

representative for leading 

international manufacturers and suppliers of specialty 

ingredients and commodities, offering products and services 

into the dairy, beverage, wine, meat, poultry, bakery, health and 

nutrition industries. 

Offering a full service to their customers, Lake Foods has 

a well-equipped pilot facility at Linbro Park, Sandton, which 

enables the technical department to assist customers with new 

product innovation, development and product improvements. 

Products in our portfolio include bacterial cultures, enzymes, 

natural colours, test systems, phosphates, stabilisers, 

emulsifiers, baking powders, brines, spice blends, marinades 

and various other food ingredients. 

STORAGE SOLUTIONS 

BARPRO STORAGE 

Cape Town Tel: +27 (0)21 552 9190 

Johannesburg Tel: +27 (0)11 450 1075 

info@barpro.co.za 

www.barprostorage.co.za 

Double your warehouse and cold store capacity 

without adding another square metre. 

Storax mobile racking is designed to fit in either new or 

existing warehouses and cold stores where space is at a 

premium. Mobile racking can double pallet capacity while still 

allowing immediate access to every pallet position. 

Barpro has offices in both Joburg and Cape Town, can 

manufacture locally, has spares and trained technicians 

on hand. 


PRODUCT SOLUTIONS & SERVICE SUPPLIER 

ABB SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD 

ABB Campus, 2 Lake Rd, 

Longmeadow Business Estate (North), 

Modderfontein, 1609 

Tel: +27 10 202 5000 

contact.center@za.abb.com 

www.abb.com/africa 

ABB’s food & beverage solutions 

Plant-wide solutions to optimize productivity, 

efficiency and uptime. 

ABB’s broad digital portfolio enables increased control and 

visibility for better optimisation and productivity with less 

energy and water, realize improved food safety and 

traceability, and minimise waste. ABB can help you build 

the flexible, cost effective production systems needed to 

manage your risks and gain the most from today’s trends. 

ABB use the Internet of Things, Services and People to help 

you get the most out of your assets and improve uptime. 

Find out more about our full range of solutions at 

www.abb.com/food&beverage, or contact your local 

ABB office. 

CCS LOGISTICS 

PO Box 686, Cape Town, 8000 

Vrystaat Road, Paarden Eiland 

Cape Town, South Africa 

Tel +27 87 350 7350 

www.ccslogistics.co.za 

www.linebooker.co.za 

As the largest cold store operator in Africa, operating since 

1971 and a 100% subsidiary of the Oceana Group, CCS 

Logistics owns and operates eleven modern refrigerated 

facilities in the major centres and harbours of South Africa, 

Namibia and Angola. Collectively, CCS offer 140 000 tons 

of multi temperature controlled storage and handling from 

ambient to minus 60 degrees. 

Dynamic warehouse management systems incorporating 

radio frequency technology and integration capabilities 

support our range of services that include picking, blast 

freezing, bonded facilities, bulk vessel quayside operations 

and stevedoring. Customised services range from container 

consolidation, cross-docking, palletisation, transport and 

facilitation of clearing and forwarding. 

PRODUCT SOLUTIONS & SERVICE SUPPLIER 

CCS LOGISTICS-LINEBOOKER 

PO Box 686, Cape Town, 8000 

Vrystaat Road, Paarden Eiland 

Cape Town, South Africa 

Tel: +27 87 350 7283 

linebooker@ccslogistics.co.za 

www.linebooker.co.za 

Linebooker is not a brokerage. Linebooker is an online 

business where customers have easy access to the majority 

of transport companies is South Africa. How it works: the 

customer would publish a load request on our platform 

and multiple pre-approved transport companies would 

bid for your load. Our customer can then choose to accept 

the lowest bid. We take care of the rest. Transporters on 

the other hand have access to more customers, thus more 

loads which assists in lane balancing and reduces the need 

to subcontract. We pay the transporter within 15 days and 

take care of all admin. 

VEOLIA 

Tel: +27 11 974 8161 

Fax: +27 11 974 8867 

gerhard.burger@veoliawater.com 

www.veoliawaterst.co.za 

Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies SA is a specialist 

provider of complete water and wastewater treatment 

solutions and is active throughout southern and sub- 

Saharan Africa. 

As a subsidiary of the multinational Veolia Water, 

the company offers a full range of products and services 

to a variety of industries, including food and beverage, 

petrochemical, mining, municipalities, and numerous others. 

Veolia employs leading technology for disinfection, 

filtration and general purification, including environmental 

protection. 

Solutions are completed by in-house capacity to provide 

a speciality chemical treatment range - Hydrex - as well as 

SABS-approved hygiene products and services. 

ADVERTISE IN OUR 

SUPPLIER SHOWCASE 

Email wendy@fbreporter.co.za Tel: 083 653 8116

Food & Beverage Reporter June 2018

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