Growth increasingly constrained by acute supply-side pressures
In 2025, South Africa’s fresh food market continues to show resilient demand; however, growth is increasingly constrained by acute supply-side pressures. The livestock sector is facing unprecedented disruption: foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks have surged, leading to high calf mortality, reduced weaner supply, and movement bans that have already caused significant revenue losses across both the beef and dairy value chains. Poultry supply remains volatile as repeated waves of avian influenza necessitate large-scale culling, reducing national flock sizes and resulting in persistent egg and chicken shortages, price spikes, and mounting pressure on low-income households for whom poultry is the most affordable protein source. Beyond animal protein, climate-related constraints continue to weigh heavily on fresh produce, with rising temperatures, erratic rainfall patterns and chronic water scarcity undermining yields, straining irrigation systems, and exacerbating pest and disease pressures across fruit, vegetables and nuts. In seafood, declining fish stocks and climate-driven weather instability pose long-term risks to availability, especially for small-scale fishers already vulnerable to resource depletion and inconsistent access to markets. Against this backdrop, fresh food growth is expected to remain positive but cautious, shaped by the interplay between strengthening health-based consumer demand and intensifying structural risks across South Africa’s agricultural supply base.
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Overview:
Understand the latest market trends and future growth opportunities for the Fresh Food industry in South Africa with research from Euromonitor International's team of in-country analysts – experts by industry and geographic specialisation.
Key trends are clearly and succinctly summarised alongside the most current research data available. Understand and assess competitive threats and plan corporate strategy with our qualitative analysis, insight and confident growth projections.
Data and analysis in this report provides further detailed coverage dedicated to the following key categories, where applicable:
- Eggs
- Fish and Seafood
- Fruits
- Meat
- Nuts
- Pulses
- Starchy Roots
- Sugar and Sweeteners
- Vegetables
If you're in the Fresh Food industry in South Africa, our research will help you to make informed, intelligent decisions; to recognise and profit from opportunity, or to offer resilience amidst market uncertainty.
The Fresh Food in South Africa report includes:
- Analysis of key supply-side and demand trends
- Detailed segmentation of international and local products
- Historic volume and value sizes
- Five year forecasts of market trends and market growth
- Robust and transparent research methodology, conducted in-country
This report answers:
- What is the market size of Fresh Food in South Africa?
- What is the impact of commodity price fluctuations on local production and consumption?
- What are the key campaigns or legislation driving Fresh Food sales?
- How are consumer attitudes towards fresh food evolving?
- How significant is health and wellness in shaping consumer demand?
- Where is future growth expected to be most dynamic?
Fresh Food in South Africa
Growth increasingly constrained by acute supply-side pressures
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Affordability and heightened health awareness influence consumers’ choices
Increasingly polarised market
Modest growth, with several challenges remaining prevalent
Home cooking will continue to underpin demand for fresh food
Supermarkets lead, offering broad assortments, competitive pricing and convenience
Flexibility, convenience and familiarity support small local grocers’ strong footfall
COUNTRY REPORTS DISCLAIMER
Eggs in South Africa
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Affordable and nutritious eggs remain relatively resilient in 2025
Bird flu encourages consumer switch to alternative protein sources
Eggs remain a staple in the diets of price-sensitive consumers
Eggs to remain a resilient and relevant category
Government and private sector interventions to mitigate the risk of avian flu
Fish and Seafood in South Africa
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Stronger demand for fish amid rising meat prices
Shift to fish at a time of heightened price sensitivity
Increasingly polarised market
Further expansion as affordability concerns persist and meat prices remain elevated
Increasingly polarised market, with affordability-driven mass demand coexisting alongside targeted premium growth
Fruits in South Africa
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Demand for healthy, natural products continues to underpin the category
Consumers are spoilt for choice, benefiting from strong local production
Branding is increasingly widespread and a key value-creation lever
Rising awareness of nutrition and wellbeing strengthens the appeal of fresh fruit
Consumers to prioritise essential, everyday fruit that delivers reliability and value
Meat in South Africa
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Affordability concerns, convenience and product quality influence purchasing decisions
Impact of supply-side disruptions and affordability pressures
Meat consumption shaped by affordability concerns, supply volatility and evolving consumer preferences
Improved outlook with government and industry efforts to stabilise supply and curb disease outbreaks
Cost concerns, health awareness and convenience influence consumption patterns
Nuts in South Africa
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Growth supported by nuts’ reputation as a healthy and convenient snack
Demand underpinned by growing health awareness
Cost considerations continue to shape consumer choices
Mounting pressure from alternative snacks and affordability constraints
Pulses in South Africa
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Strong growth supported by pulses’ affordability, nutritional value and convenience
Rising demand for affordable and flexible protein options amid rising food prices
Pulses appeal to both budget-conscious and health-focused consumers
Persistent economic pressure, rising fibre awareness, and the versatility of pulses to sustain solid volume growth
Shift toward whole, minimally processed ingredients supports demand for pulses
Starchy Roots in South Africa
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Affordability and health trend drive growth in 2025
Affordable, filling staples appeal during a time of cost-of-living pressures
Potato premiumisation
Starchy roots to remain firmly embedded in consumers’ diets
Evolving health and lifestyle demands set to benefit the category
Sugar and Sweeteners in South Africa
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Sugar remains a core household staple
Growth restrained by heightened health awareness
Sugar industry under acute strain
Category increasingly constrained by structural, regulatory and behavioural headwinds
Increasing importance of sustainability
Vegetables in South Africa
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Vegetables benefit from their affordability, nutritional value and consistent availability
Affordability and health considerations drive growth in 2025
Demand supported by both value-seeking behaviour and evolving health perceptions
Vegetables to retain their appeal amid ongoing cost-of-living pressures
Rising health awareness and retailer effort ensure category resilience
COUNTRY REPORTS DISCLAIMER
The following categories and subcategories are included:
Fresh Food
- Eggs
-
- Crustaceans
- Fish
- Molluscs and Cephalopods
-
- Apples
- Banana
- Cherries
- Cranberries/Blueberries
- Grapefruit/Pomelo
- Grapes
- Kiwi Fruit
- Lemon and Limes
- Oranges, Tangerines and Mandarins
- Peaches/Nectarines
- Pears/Quinces
- Pineapple
- Plums/Sloes
- Strawberries
- Other Fruits
-
- Beef and Veal
- Lamb, Mutton and Goat
- Pork
- Poultry
- Other Meat
-
- Almonds
- Coconuts
- Peanuts (Groundnuts)
- Pistachio
- Walnuts
- Other Nuts
-
- Beans
- Peas
- Other Pulses
-
- Cassava
- Potatoes
- Sweet Potatoes
- Other Roots
- Sugar and Sweeteners
-
- Cauliflowers and broccoli
- Maize
- Onion
- Tomatoes
- Other Vegetables
Fresh Food
Fresh Food refers only to fresh uncooked and unprocessed foods (packaged and unpackaged). Packaged sugar products and natural sweeteners (e.g. brown sugar, table sugar, molasses) are also included. For Fresh Food, we research total sales across distribution channels including retail, foodservice and institutions. For a selected 18 markets, we have a breakdown of total fresh food sales according to the following formats: • Retail • Foodservice sales • Institutional sales Retail Retail sales is defined as sales through all legal establishments primarily engaged in the sale of fresh, packaged and prepared foods for home preparation and consumption. Retail sales excludes sales to hotels, restaurants, cafés, duty free sales and institutional sales (canteens, prisons/jails, hospitals, army, etc). Our retail definition excludes the purchase of food products from foodservice outlets for consumption off-premises, eg grilled chicken/meat/fish bought from counters of cafés/bars. This falls under foodservice sales. For foodservice, we capture all sales to foodservice outlets, regardless of whether the products are eventually consumed on-premise or off-premise. We estimate sales through the following channels: Modern Grocery Retailers • Supermarkets • Hypermarkets • Discounters • Convenience stores • Forecourt retailers Traditional Grocery Retailers • Independent small grocers • Food/Drink/Tobacco Specialists • Other grocery retailers (morning/speciality/open/wet/farmers’ markets, stalls and kiosks, etc) Non-grocery retailers • Health and beauty specialist retailers • Other non-grocery retailers Non-store retailers • Homeshopping • Internet retailing • Vending • Direct selling Foodservice Foodservice sales are defined as sales TO consumer foodservice outlets that serve the general public in a non-captive environment. In other words, this means that the foodservice volumes track sales of all fresh food going into restaurant kitchens, regardless of what the restaurant actually does with that food. Foodservice outlets include cafés/bars, FSR (full-service restaurants), fast food, 100% home delivery/takeaway, self-service cafeterias and street stalls/kiosks. Sales to semi-captive foodservice outlets are also included. This describes outlets located in leisure, travel and retail environments. • Retail refers to foodservice units located in retail outlets such as department stores, shopping malls, shopping centres, super/hypermarkets etc. • Leisure refers to foodservice units located in leisure establishments such as museums, health clubs, cinemas, theatres, theme parks and sports stadiums. • Travel refers to foodservice units based in airports, rail stations, coach stations, motorway service stations offering gas facilities etc. Institutional sales Institutional sales is defined as sales to captive foodservice units that serve captive populations such as in hospitals, schools, prisons, military camps, hotels, hostels, nursing homes, homes for elderly people, religious houses, etc.
See all of our definitionsWhy buy this report?
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- Inform your marketing, brand, strategy and market development, sales and supply functions
This report originates from Passport, our Fresh Food research and analysis database.
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