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to eating sorghum
T
raditionally sorghum was a sta-
ple food in the form of a variety of
cooked porridges. Sorghum based
beverages – both alcoholic and non-
alcoholic – are conventionally consumed in
many parts of Africa. However many South
African consumers, especially younger
ones, do not consume sorghum products
on a regular basis, do not know what sor-
ghum is, what the plant looks like and/or
have not tasted sorghum products.
If consumers do know the product, they
often associate it with older generations. It
is generally not considered to be a modern
aspirational product.
Wrong perceptions
There is also a perception that sorghum
is a food for the poor. Sorghum is a very
important cereal grain in South Africa,
but in recent years local sorghum con-
sumption and production have declined
considerably.
Some experts belief that a reason for this
is the mismatch in terms of which sorghum
types and products are produced and con-
sumers’ preferences. More science and
education are needed to change behav
iours of both producers and consumers.
Sorghum is not a poor man’s or inferior
crop, it is, on the contrary, a neglected
crop with great potential.
It is a particularly important crop in the dry,
subtropical and tropical parts of Africa on
account of its hardiness, its low water re-
quirement and its relative drought resist-
ance. The impact of climate change with
increasingly high temperatures and more
unpredictable rainfall is renewing interest
in sorghum as a crop and its many food
and beverage uses.
Unfortunately, sorghum meal currently still
attracts 15% VAT, while flours from maize
and wheat are VAT exempt. (
See also the
article
Removal of VAT on sorghum crucial
for industry’s survival
in the August issue
.)
Consumer behaviour
South Africa is undergoing rapid industri-
alisation and urbanisation. Shoppers find
themselves with more disposable income
and less free time, which has them reach-
ing for snack food products that fit their
new lifestyle.
With urbanisation, consumers are chang-
ing food consumption habits from tradi-
tional household prepared foods to include
more convenient ready-to-eat Western style
foods and snacks. Obesity, overweight and
diet-related diseases such as type 2 diabe-
tes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension
and certain forms of cancers are, like in
most parts of the world, on the rise and a
growing concern in South Africa.
Food should ideally protect against nutri-
tion related diseases and contribute to qual-
ity of life. South Africans suffering from
health problems are discovering more and
more the link between consuming healthy
food and their well-being and are more
keen to switch to healthier alternatives.
An ancient crop
Sorghum is also referred to as an an-
cient grain. What does that mean? These
are grains that have remained largely
unchanged over the past 100 or even
1 000 years. Consumers value this aspect
positively due to supposed or confirmed
nutrition and health benefits, ethical and
ecological concerns, safety and quality
aspects.
Anecdotal evidence supported by more
and more scientific literature seems to sug-
gest that products from sorghum have the
real or perceived ability to provide satiety
or keep you full and satisfied for longer.
SR Snacks
SR Snacks is a new company bringing
tasty, healthy sorghum snack products to
the South African market. There is an urgent
need in Africa for well-positioned snack
foods to compete sustainably with cur-
rent high fat, high sugar, high sodium and
low dietary fibre containing snacks on
the market.
They offer a range of sensational sorghum
biscuits under the SO-yhum brand. The
biscuits come in a number of tasty fla-
vours: Vanilla, berry and chocolate. The
company is set to expand the range within
the first year to include more sweet and
savoury flavours.
SO-yhum biscuits are made from sor-
ghum flour and contain no wheat or glu-
ten. Product development is done on a
continuing basis and based on sound
scientific research and understanding
of market trends and needs. The busi-
ness was started with seed funding
from the SANBio BIOFISA II pro-
gramme
(
http://www.nepadsanbio.org/
index.php/biofisa-two
)
to
commercial-
ise research outputs related to the de-
velopment of sorghum biscuits at the
University of Pretoria.
SR Snacks focuses on the needs of three
customer segments: The first group is
healthy snacking consumers. This segment
of consumers is typically searching for food
products with good nutritional value and
health promoting benefits.
The second niche is the New Africa
consumers. This grouping includes lo-
cal consumers and tourists looking for
authentic, modern food products made
in Africa.
SR Snacks also caters for consumers who
are passionate about food products that
resonate
Caring and sharing
. This niche
group eats with a purpose, cares for the
environment and put a premium on a sus-
tainable lifestyle. The SO-yhum brand
delivers a fun, youthful, African sorghum
biscuit range.
Reference
Produce Marketing Association. (no date).
South Afri-
can consumer trends impacting fresh produce sales
.
Retrieved 11 June 2018 from
https://www.pma.com/
content/articles/2017/07/south-african-consumer-
trends-impacting-fresh-produce-sales.
109
September 2018
relevant
Prof Riëtte de Kock,
Department of Consumer and Food Science, University of Pretoria
“
Sorghum is not
a poor man’s or
inferior crop, it is,
on the contrary,
a neglected
crop with great
potential.
“
Product information