According to Veganuary’s local NGO partner ProVeg South Africa, more than 30,000 South Africans have signed up for Veganuary since 2019.
The company reported that some 38 new plant-based products were launched in South Africa this January, and numerous household names spanning foodservice and retail offered new plant-based products or specials nationwide throughout the month.
Woolworths
Woolworths recently launched its new PlantLove range, a wide range of vegan products from ready meals to cheese. Interesting to note is some product terminology following uncertainty regarding restrictions on labeling of plant-based items in the country; For example, “Crushed Soy Ocean Strips” for a fish finger type product.
“We encourage our customers to make better food choices that are also kinder to the planet,” said Daisy Masiangoko, Senior Marketing Manager at Woolworths South Africa.
“We want to partner with our customers by making their journey to Mars easy and achievable. Our goal is to help customers navigate this period and empower them to stick to their New Year’s resolutions.”
“Veganuary is a popular initiative that South Africans participate in and we want to be there by providing our customers with a wide range of relevant, tasty and convenient solutions for this period. The partnership with ProVeg creates ongoing support for customers who want to continue their plant-based journey.”
Woolworths encouraged their newsletter subscribers to take part in the challenge.
Life and coffee
Vida e caffè offers special deals on Meatless Mondays in January and the Veganuary promotion in their stores nationwide.
“vida e caffè is committed to growing our vegan and plant-based range as it fits perfectly into our vida e Mundo (Life & the World) sustainability journey and to be ‘Better Together’,” said Fahim Frizzler, vida e caffè Marketing Executive.
“Highlighting Veganuary across all our stores nationwide over the course of January showcased our wide range of vegan items as well as the benefits of being vegan.”
Kauai
Kauai offered customers several in-store and app specials, encouraged them to sign-up through newsletters and promoted their Smart Meals plant-powered plan that is 100% plant-based.
“After being ranked as South Africa’s most plant-based friendly quick service restaurant in 2022 by Proveg South Africa, we’ve pulled out all the stops to make this Veganuary easy and exciting again.”
NPD
Manufacturers such as Goodness Plant Based Deli, Infinite Foods, Outcast Foods, Simply Delish, Urban Vegan, OKJA, Red Espresso, Pesto Princess and On the Green Side have released new and improved products or specials.
Some of the new product highlights around Veganuary include Buttanutt’s new chocolate oat milk, three new plant milks from Wellness Warehouse along with several snacks, and plant-based ready-to-eat products and snacks from Pick n Pay.
“Most South Africans love to eat meat, so trying something like veganuri can seem like a big sacrifice,” says Donovan Will, Country Director of Proveg South Africa. “But once they’ve tried a good meat replacement product they’re open to trying to replace at least some of their meat with plant-based alternatives.”