That's a wrap for Africa’s Big 7 2024

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“Over the course of the week, attendees networked with professionals, thought leaders and buyers at an event focused on connecting trends and insights to real-world situations. This year, Africa’s Big 7 connected top players within the industry and opened up authentic conversations around the challenges facing the industry,” said Margaret Peters, Event Manager: Food & Hospitality at dmg events.

The event’s focus on transformation was reflected in its opening keynote ‘Transforming Africa’s food system – Tackling food insecurity through innovations and partnerships’.

The presentation focused on the need for diverse and innovative food and beverage products and culinary experiences that drive the sustainability agenda and meet the need of Africa’s rapidly growing population.

Mikes Kubheka, the founder of Wakanda Food Accelerator, said: “It’s important to gain insight into how to navigate the future of Africa’s food systems, how innovation is reshaping food categories and transforming investment opportunities, and what technologies are working to solve supply chain challenges.”

Addressing food insecurity

Day one included a panel discussion entitled ‘Finding the Formula – What new ingredients and flavours are driving innovation’, focused on new taste choices and sustainable developments and how these can be translated into business efficiency and cost savings; a fireside chat on ‘Sustainability – Journey to a net-zero future’ that unpacked what environmental transparency means for the bottom line; and exclusive interviews with influencers and leaders in the industry around thinking global while acting local.

One of the particularly relevant and insightful events on day one was an in-depth panel discussion on ‘Food mapping – Mitigating food waste and supporting sustainable growth’ with Nicola Jenkin, director of Pinpoint Sustainability as the moderator, and Steffen Burrows, head of Sustainability at Pick ‘n Pay; Pavitray Pillay, behaviour change practitioner at WWF South Africa; and Matlou Setati, executive: Food Safety and Sustainability Initiative at the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa (CGSCA).

The discussion touched on critical concerns for the country and the continent with Setati opening the conversation around food insecurity and the need for finding ways of addressing this, with Burrows echoing her sentiments, emphasising the importance of sustainability.

As Pillay said, “What people don’t realise is when they waste a plate of food, they’re wasting energy, soil, health, labour, water and biodiversity.”

It is critical, said the panellists, to prioritise food accessibility, reduce waste, and find a way of reimaging the value chain.

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Returning for its third year, the Enterprise Development Pavilion, sponsored by the Johannesburg Convention Bureau, provided a dedicated space for SMMEs to showcase their cutting-edge products and services.

Thandubuhle Mgudlwa, chief executive officer, The Johannesburg Tourism Company said: “Our Enterprise Development Pavilion provides a dedicated space for SMMEs to showcase their cutting-edge products and services. This platform connects them with key industry buyers, fostering valuable exposure and market access. Through this initiative, we empower these businesses to thrive and contribute to the dynamic future of food and beverage.”

Retail trends

On day two, the event kicked off with the spotlight presentation entitled ‘Insights into the latest mega retail trends’ presented by Andrea Ellens, retail expert and head of business development at Trade Intelligence.

Opening her presentation against the backdrop of the current economic landscape and the challenges influencing consumer and retail confidence, Ellens unpacked some of the interesting global and local trends shaping the industry today.

The global trends to watch out for are around Metail, the personalised shopping experience; the rise of retail media investment to gain consumer attention; meeting the needs of the octopus shopper with omnichannel experiences that are seamless and harmonious; leveraging artificial intelligence to drive agility; and prioritising initiatives to create a green trolley.

As Ellens said: “One of the big local trends is an explosion of more stores with brands like ShopRite and Clicks prioritising accessibility for shoppers and diversification.”

Also taking place on day two was a presentation on ‘The future of retail in South Africa’ by Ceri Coxton, Head of Customer Experience at Woolworths South Africa. She said, “Technology is changing everything we do in retail across the board and we need to ensure experiences are seamless and sustainability remains a priority.”

The day also included a discussion on ‘Private Labels – why are these brands transforming innovation in a time of disruption’; and a fireside chat with Bronwyn Williams, futurist, economist and business trends analyst at Flux Trends; Brett Thomson, co-founder and CEO of Newform Foods; and Martin Dovey, founder of CACG Technology Strategy and Management Consulting, discussing ‘From cell to scale – how the food industry can be part of cultivating meat’.

Mongezi Mtati, senior brand strategist at Rogerwilco, hosted a spotlight presentation on the ‘Kasi Economy – Tapping into the growing township economy and what you need to know’. Matati said: “Brands have a long-distance relationship with townships but change is on the horizon with the rise of Kasi alternatives and an increase in supermarket spend.”

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Also on the day was a panel discussion around ‘Culinary innovation – how are menus adapting?’; a spotlight presentation on ‘Supply chain optimisation reimagined’; and ‘Major trends redefining food service and convenience’.

Returning events at the show included the Global Pizza Challenge, the National Burger Challenge, the South African Bakers Challenge and the show welcomed the inaugural The Game of Chefs.

“With a record 4,922 attendees and 179 exhibitors at this year’s event, it was immensely successful with an impressive turnout and exceptional speakers. Africa’s Big 7 remains a premier event for the industry in Africa.” Peters concludes.