Food & Beverage Reporter

Food & Beverage Reporter (FBR) is one of South Africa’s leading B2B magazines, with a track record of more than 25 years in the industry. With thought leadership and in-depth coverage of technical topics, news, and local and international developments across the foodbev and allied industries, the magazine caters for South Africa and neighbouring countries. FBR also carries a specialist Packaging& Processing Reporter section in each issue, exploring technology, ideas, and trends in these key segments of the food chain. In response to changing readership trends we offer a fully digitized publication, with both Apple and Android apps In March each year, FBR’s annual Supplier Directory is distributed both in print and online versions providing you with a handy guide to local suppliers and service providers on the continent.

From the editor • Companies that change may survive, but companies that transform thrive. Change brings incremental or small-scale adaptations, while transformation brings great improvements that ripple through the future of an organization.

Food & Beverage Reporter

Taste and Innovation with crispy plant-based “chicken skin” • We’re constantly amazed by the innovation we’re seeing in industry. Here is this month’s pick of one of the great ideas we have seen popping up.

Industry Updates

Food costs are high and getting higher in 2022 • According to Food and Agriculture Organization data, global food prices reached the highest level in over a decade last year 2;3. Price increases are being attributed mostly to strong demand and a poor harvest in many producing countries2.

Training your team is an investment in your business success • FBR asked some of the local training course providers some key questions for 2022, so that we could share the insights with you. Here’s what they had to say…

FoodBev Recalls: Are there insurance implications? • 2021 saw a number of nationwide food and beverage recalls in South Africa, ranging from apple juice to fruit and nuts. This has raised some questions on what protection businesses and consumers have in cases where there is a high interest in public health and safety.

5 Major Retail Trends for 2022 • Retail is renowned for being fast-paced and highly competitive. If anything, the pandemic has only intensified this, with evolving shopping habits and customer needs, and the growing adoption of digital shopping platforms.

Trend spotting Here are the highlights • There is always a flurry of activity in the media about the trends that are predicted, and 2022 is no different.

Beverage trends. Is tea the new G&T? • The two-year pandemic has led to major shifts in grocery buying patterns as the world became accustomed to spending more time at home.

Sustainable chocolate trends Responsibly sourced cocoa • Chocolate may be a sweet, decadent treat, but it has a darker side to it too – with deforestation and poor living conditions among cocoa farming communities being linked to the production of this labour-intensive crop.

Sustainable chocolate wins gold!

Culture Eats HACCP for Breakfast!

Launching a new product: From concept to retail Part 3 • If you are reading this article, I would highly suggest that you grab the previous editions of the Food & Beverage Reporter and look at parts 1 and 2. We have been exploring a couple of high-level concepts that you as a product owner need to consider when thinking about taking your product to market. In part 1 of how to launch a product from concept to retail, we looked at the process of research and product development, in part 2 we explored branding and packaging and now in part 3, we will discuss distribution and sales.

22 Tips for your 2022 Food Safety Management System • The last two years have proved that we need to be ready for...