One of Nestlé East and Southern Africa’s (ESAR) largest markets, South Africa, celebrates Heritage Day in September. Nestlé is more than 150 years old and as such, many of our brands are deeply intertwined with South African heritage and traditions.
A hearty beef ‘potjie’ would be incomplete without generous lashings of MAGGI Lazenby Worcestershire Sauce; Ouma’s Tamatie Bredie gets its heart from MAGGI Tomato Seasoning Cubes and who hasn’t whipped up a delicious snack in under 2 minutes featuring MAGGI 2-minute Noodles?
These products have earned their place in our homes and at our tables because aside from their tried and trusted quality and their product intrinsics, they recognise South African consumers – the lives they lead, the ingredients they add and the role they play in making their food.
Business Executive Officer: Food, Nithal Soni Ramjee, is passionate about how her role merges a business need (selling Nestlé food products) and the country’s economic needs; that is, creating value, developing South African talent, offering affordable nutrition and boosting the economy – did you know that MAGGI 2-minute Noodles are produced entirely within the shores of South Africa?
In the South African context, the affordability of MAGGI 2-minute Noodles, also offers consumers what they need: a satiating, iron-fortified meal for under R10.
Yet the latest campaign is about so much more than affordability, encouraging consumers to add to the noodles to make unique meals, come up with recipes and, Nithal hopes, develop their thinking even further perhaps into considering how to develop their own income streams from food.
She enthuses, “Cooking is about empowering people. As much as it’s about making a meal and consuming it, it’s also about creating an income stream. There are so many income streams that come from food and we want to empower more people with food, beyond purely consumption. There’s food photography, food blogging, critiquing food… The options are endless!”
South Africa needs marketing campaigns that credit our consumers with the capacity to create and then which empowers them to do so. MAGGI 2-minute Noodles’ latest campaign is all about empowering people through recipes and experiences, igniting creativity in those who hold the products in their hands and inspiring them to ‘Cook the difference’.
Acknowledging that we all make MAGGI our own unique way, the latest campaign goes beyond how you make the noodles and considers who makes them.
Not only showing a deep understanding of their consumers, MAGGI has also evolved the product itself, introducing new and improved chicken and beef flavours and thicker, more flavourful noodles.
Made with the best locally-sourced ingredients and fortified with iron, every bowl is meant to be produced in partnership with the people they’re made for – no two bowls are ever the same, because no two kitchens are ever the same.
This Heritage Day, as we reflect on where we’ve come from and consider where we’re going as a nation, it’s important to reflect on the brands that have always been there, and which are continuing to grow, develop, evolve and partner with us on our journey.