Menu
Africa's Big 7
Search
  • Home
  • Exhibit
    • Book a Stand
    • Why Exhibit
    • Who Exhibits
    • Who you will meet
    • Reasons to Exhibit
    • Download Sales Brochure
    • Download Post Show Report
    • Enquire about exhibiting
    • Enquire about Sponsorship
  • Visit
    • Enquire about visiting
    • Why Visit
    • Who Visits
    • Products on Show
    • Show Features
  • FEATURES
    • Global Pizza Challenge
    • Workshops
    • Game of Chefs Challenge
    • BEST BAKER Competition
  • Africa Trade Week
    • About
  • Media Hub
    • INDUSTRY NEWS
    • Partners
    • Press Releases
  • General Info
    • Contact the Team
    • The Venue
    • What to do in JHB
    • The Organiser
    • FAQs
  • COVID-19 ALL SECURE

23 – 25 AUGUST 2021
TICKETPRO DOME,
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

BOOK YOUR STAND

#AFRICABIG7

Close Menu

Nestle is planning a rice-based KitKat

Nestle SA is adding its first vegan milk chocolate to its products as the world’s biggest food company expands beyond meat alternatives.
Saki Magoxo
2021-02-17 11:29:57
Kit Kat

The Swiss food giant will start offering plant-based KitKat bars this year, called KitKat V, according to Alexander von Maillot, head of Nestle’s confectionery business.

The product will be for sale online and at selected stores in a handful of markets including the UK as a test run before a possible wider rollout.

The bar, which uses a rice-based formula as a milk substitute, took about two years to develop. The main challenge in making alternatives to milk chocolate is ensuring it blends well with cocoa and sugar for a creamy texture.

Other substitutes, such as soy or almond formulas, can create off-notes, von Maillot said.

While there are quite a few small labels that make vegan milk chocolate, most of the popular brands haven’t yet joined in on the trend.

Lindt & Spruengli AG, better known for its Easter bunnies wrapped in golden foil, has started selling oat milk-based chocolate bars under its Hello label. Mars Inc has introduced a vegan version of its Galaxy bars in the UK Mondelez International Inc’s Cadbury has also announced plans to make plant-based milk chocolate.

“Demand for plant-based food is growing everywhere,” von Maillot said in a phone interview. “KitKat was a logical choice, as it’s by far the biggest brand and a global brand.”

Confectionery is one of Nestle’s last categories to join the plant-based trend. Nestle Purina last year introduced a blended pet food line, adding insects and plant protein from fava beans and millet to the meat protein.

Nestle introduced sausage substitutes last year and also makes plant-based mince and non-dairy ice cream and coffee products.

The group said that the ban on liquor sales due to the nation wide lockdown regulations to curb the spread of Covid-19 saw its LiquourShop division record a 21.8 percent plunge. “The total number of days that our liquor business was closed added up to 79 days over the six months: 60 days during the first quarter and 19 days during the second quarter,” said Shoprite.

However, the group said its core business, the South African supermarkets, was resilient and contributed 78 percent to total sales.

It said the supermarkets’ growth inched up by 5.6 percent and like for like by 4.8 percent.

The South African supermarkets business, excluding LiquorShop sales, achieved a 7.8 percent sales growth, and like-for-like, growth was 5.7 percent, said Shoprite.

Checkers Hyper continued to be star performers as sales increased 11.1 percent while Shoprite and Usave grew 5.6 percent.

The furniture business comprising OK Furniture and House & Home surged 15.7 percent and by 17.3 percent on a like-for-like basis.

“While growth remained high overall, growth during the second quarter was impacted by an already high base in December 2019,” said Shoprite, adding that said credit sales participation declined to 11.8 percent compared with 13.7 percent a year earlier. The group’s furniture segment closed 10 stores.

The group’s other operating segments, comprising OK Franchise, Transpharm, MediRite Pharmacies, Checkers Food Services (CFS) and Computicket, reported sales growth of 10 percent.

Shoprite said that while the MediRite Pharmacies and Transpharm business traded well, both CFS and Computicket were negatively impacted by the Covid-19 lockdown regulations given their reliance on tourism, hospitality, travel and eventing.

 “The group’s OK Franchise division remained resilient, achieving sales growth of 8.1 percent despite the impact of the liquor lockdown restrictions,” said Shoprite.

The group added a total of 28 OK Franchise stores during the period.

It confirmed that the terms of sale of its Nigerian business had been concluded and that the transaction had been lodged with the Nigerian Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission for approval.

“Management expects the transaction to be approved by the end of the 2021 financial year,” said Shoprite. Last August, Shoprite announced its decision to exit or cut its exposure to the Nigerian business after 15 years of operating in that country.

Shoprite shares rose 0.40 percent on the JSE yesterday to close at R145.02.

To read more, click here.

« Biltong hits the big time – listing in New York! » Partner News: Echemi – The world’s leading B2B platform in the chemical industry

QUICK LINKS

CONTACT US

dmg events
PO Box 650302,
Benmore 2010,
Johannesburg, South Africa
Privacy Policy

+27 11 783 7250

Sales Manager
DaleMagaya@dmgevents.com

Head of Sales
DeanLundall@dmgevents.com

Portfolio Director
EvanSchiff@dmgevents.com

SHOW DATES

23 August 2021, 10:00 – 17:00
24 August 2021, 10:00 – 17:00
25 August 2021, 10:00 – 16:00

ENQUIRE ABOUT VISITING Book a Stand

Visit

Why visit
Products on show
Enquire about visiting

Exhibit

Why exhibit
Book a stand for 2021

A detailed set of enhanced health and safety measures to ensure the successful integration of exhibitions and events post-COVID-19.

COVID-19 Government banner
logo-b

ABOUT US | CAREERS | PRIVACY POLICY | CONTACT US

Member of           

dmg events is an organiser of face-to-face events and a publisher of trade magazines for the international Construction, Energy, Coatings, Transport, Hospitality & Design industries.