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<p>South African food giant Tiger Brands is still recovering from the 2018  listeriosis crisis and the unbundling of the Company&#8217;s interest in Oceana to Brimstone which saw the group operating income and headline earnings drop by 20 per cent and 17 per cent respectively. CNBC Africa&#8217;s Fifi Peters spoke with Tiger Brands CEO, Lawrence MacDougall for more.</p>


Tiger Brands CEO: We are on the road to recovery from listeriosis outbreak

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<p>The Johannesburg high court has granted the families of listeriosis survivors and their next of kin the opportunity to institute a class action against Tiger Brands. It is expected that more than 1000 claims will be brought forward. Tiger brands responded by saying it will spend R1 million to help the class action process. Joining CNBC Africa for more is Mary Jane, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Tiger Brands.</p>


Tiger Brands welcomes high court’s certification of listeriosis class action

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<p>It has been over a month since the huge recall of cold meats products from two of the biggest meat producers in South Africa because of the Listeriosis outbreak.</p>


Are meat imports bringing #listeria to SA?

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<p>Recent media attention around the Listeriosis outbreak has highlighted the necessity for increased digital communication and data storage to eradicate food-borne diseases on a more pro-active basis.</p>


The role of data management in controlling food-borne diseases

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<p>It has been almost 3 weeks since Tiger Brands has announced a recall of their chilled cold meat products. About 3 of their production sites have been temporarily closed and the company braces for the financial burden.</p>


Tiger Brands: The cost of #Listeria

<p>South Africa’s Tiger Brands said on Monday it expected its meat products unit to record a monthly loss of up to 33 million rand ($2.7 million) after it suspended operations at four sites after a listeria outbreak that has killed 180 people in 14 months.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-19643 size-full" src="http://cnbc.africa/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/tiger_brands.png" alt="S.Africa's Tiger Brands Q1 sales up 10%" width="422" height="350" /></p>
<p class="">Health authorities ordered a recall of processed meat known as polony made by Tiger Brands and RCL Foods two weeks ago in response to the outbreak, the worst ever documented with nearly 950 reported cases.</p>
<p class="">Tiger Brands said the potential losses, which it estimated at 28-33 million rand, were for March.</p>
<p class="">In addition, the food producer said it was taking a 337-377 million rand pre-tax hit due to the costs of a product recall and suspension of production at its Polokwane, Germiston, Pretoria and Clayville sites.</p>
<p class="">($1 = 12.0264 rand)</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>


S.Africa’s Tiger Brands flags loss at meat unit after listeria outbreak

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<p>RCL Foods’ Wolwehoek polony plant in the Free State has been cleared as a suspect in listeria deaths by tests done by a French laboratory. In a statement the ST6 listeria strain blamed for more than 180 deaths had not been found in its factory.</p>


RCL is not in the clear for #Listeria – Health Minister

<p class="first-p_2htdt"> Independent tests at RCL Foods’ processed meat factory have not found any traces of a listeria strain that has killed 180 people since January last year, the South African food producer said on Friday.</p>
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<div id="attachment_300911" style="width: 1290px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-300911" class="wp-image-300911 size-full" src="http://cnbc.africa/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/1571595826001_5745134833001_5745133410001-vs.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /><p id="caption-attachment-300911" class="wp-caption-text">#Listeriosis outbreak: What you need to know</p></div>
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<p class="">Health authorities ordered a recall of processed meat known as “polony”, made by Tiger Brands and RCL Foods, nearly two weeks ago after they identified the source of the listeria outbreak &#8211; the world’s worst &#8211; that has seen 948 reported cases since January 2017.</p>
<p class="">The government traced the strain that caused the outbreak to a factory owned by Tiger Brands, sending its shares tumbling, while RCL Foods’ Wolwehoek plant was also put under investigation.</p>
<p class="">However, RCL said on Friday independent tests showed no traces of the particular strain of bacteria at its plant.</p>
<p class="">“Tests conducted by an independent laboratory in France, which is considered to be a leading expert in this field, have shown that the plant is clear of the ST6 listeria strain,” the firm said in a statement.</p>
<p class="">The authorities said they were also examining a second Tiger Brands factory and have not said when they might conclude tests on RCL Foods’ plant.</p>
<p class="">Both companies, which say they are cooperating with the authorities, have suspended processed output at their plants.</p>
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<p class="content_27_rw">Reporting by Tanisha Heiberg; Editing by Tiisetso Motsoeneng and Mark Potter</p>
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South Africa’s RCL says no traces of deadly listeria strain at its factory

<p class="first-p_2htdt">The worst listeria outbreak on record is only in its early stages and will likely infect more people in South Africa and the region, health minister Aaron Motsoaledi said on Thursday.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-301874 size-full" src="http://cnbc.africa/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Tiger-Brands_GettyImages.png" alt="" width="850" height="530" /></p>
<p class="">The infection which can hit the blood system and brain has killed 180 people in South Africa since January last year. Neighbouring Namibia reported its first case on Tuesday and said the victim was fighting for his life in hospital.</p>
<p class="">“We are just at the beginning and we must expect other cases to emerge,” Motsoaledi told reporters after meeting health ministers from across the region.</p>
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<p class="">He said he was expecting more cases to be reported across southern Africa, without elaborating.</p>
<p class="">The government has linked the outbreak to “polony” &#8211; low-priced processed meats that are mostly consumed by the poor.</p>
<p class="">South African food producer Tiger Brands, which makes polony, said on Friday a department of health report had confirmed the presence of the LST6 listeria strain its factory in the northern city of Polokwane.</p>
<p class="">Authorities are also investigating a plant owned by RCL Foods that makes a similar sausage product, though they have not reported any discoveries of listeria.</p>
<p class="">Both companies, which say they are cooperating with the authorities, suspended processed meat production at their plants after health authorities ordered a recall of the products both at home and abroad.</p>
<p class="">Kenya, Zimbabwe and Zambia have banned imports of South African processed meat, dairy products, vegetables and fruit. Mozambique and Namibia halted imports of the processed meat items and Botswana said it was recalling them. Malawi stepped up screening of South African food imports.</p>
<p class="">Motsoaledi said he was concerned about an incident when health ministry inspectors had been barred from entering the factory operated by Tiger Brand’s unit Enterprise Foods in Polokwane.</p>
<p class="">“We had to seek police to accompany them,” Motsoaledi told Reuters after the meeting.</p>
<p class="">Tiger Brands said it had apologised for the incident but said the inspectors had not had a letter authorising entry.</p>
<p class="">“Since the health official had not been to the Polokwane facility prior, the security team said there were strict protocols for entry,” said Tiger spokeswoman Nevashnee Naicker.</p>
<p class="">A human rights lawyer said over the weekend he would launch a class action lawsuit against Tiger on behalf of the families of people who died.</p>
<p class="">Tiger Brands Chief Executive Lawrence McDougal said last week that there was no direct link between the deaths and its processed cold meat products.</p>
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<p class="content_27_rw">Writing by James Macharia; Editing by Andrew Heavens</p>
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S.Africa’s listeria outbreak in early stages, will spread – minister

<div id="attachment_301878" style="width: 2058px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-301878" class="wp-image-301878 size-full" src="http://cnbc.africa/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/vegetables-frying-pan-greens.jpg" alt="" width="2048" height="1371" /><p id="caption-attachment-301878" class="wp-caption-text">Perhaps the time has come to consider a plant-based diet. Picture: Pexels</p></div>
<p>By Michelle Adelman</p>
<p>The rising death toll of the listeriosis outbreak should be a wake-up call not only to South Africa, but Africa as a whole.  The epidemic says a lot about our decisions on healthy lifestyles and our dependency on animal-based protein.</p>
<p>For Africa to move forward, we need to really think about the foods we consume and what we feed our children.  Adopting a plant-based approach on your plate is one of the most powerful and positively impactful choices you can make as a conscious consumer and parent.</p>
<p>Southern Africa’s listeriosis crisis has claimed 183 lives to date.  Listeriosis has been detected in polony and several other meat products from South Africa and these products have been recalled from food stores.</p>
<p>But this is not the first time meat products have come under the spotlight, particularly in South Africa.</p>
<h4>False food labelling, certain meat ingredients not declared</h4>
<p>In 2013, top local researchers found “fraudulent meat products” and false food labelling at popular food stores across the country.</p>
<p>Researchers found certain meat ingredients were not declared on product labels. Soya, donkey, goat and water buffalo were detected in 68 percent of the 139 minced meats, burger patties, deli meats, sausages and dried meats tested.</p>
<p>Overall, pork was the most common undeclared animal species detected in the meat products, which angered many religious groups that do not eat pork.  Researchers used various DNA-based molecular techniques to test the extent of meat product mis-labelling.</p>
<p>The research was conducted in four provinces and included “all the major retailers” and some smaller ones.  The findings raised significant concern on the functioning of the meat supply chain in South Africa.</p>
<h4>Accidental cross-contamination &amp; deliberate substitution</h4>
<p>The researchers found undeclared species present in meat products due to accidental cross-contamination and deliberate substitution resulting in considerable financial, religious, ethical and public health ramifications.</p>
<p>In sub-Saharan Africa, one billion people consume $70bn (R834 billion) worth of milk and meat protein.  A new food category is emerging that can assist in helping Africa meet its protein needs in a more nutritious, safe and environmentally friendly way: plant-based protein products.</p>
<p>Innovators such as Beyond Meat, JUST and Ripple Foods are developing authentic tasting milk, meat and egg substitutes made from plants.  Plant-based protein can be a solution to decreasing our dependency on meat products and help fight malnutrition on the continent.</p>
<p>Infinite Foods is a manufacturer of plant-based products across sub-Saharan Africa and its primary objective is to decrease dependency on animal-based protein in Africa.</p>
<h4>Replacing meat with plant-based protein</h4>
<p>There is a better way to feed the planet.  Replacing meat with plant-based protein would not only benefit human health, but also support the environment and Africa’s natural resources.</p>
<p>It takes roughly 8kgs of grain to produce 1kg of beef, 4kgs of grain to produce 1kg of pork, and about 2.5kgs of grain to produce 1kg of chicken.</p>
<p>The way the world produces meat today is taking an enormous toll on our planet.</p>
<p>Agriculture uses 37% of all land and over 70% of all freshwater on earth; and creates as much greenhouse gas emissions as all of the world’s cars, trucks, trains, ships, and airplanes combined.  Of that, 80% of agricultural land is used in livestock production.  Compared to cows, plant-based meat uses 95% less land, 74% less water, and creates 87% less greenhouse gas emissions.</p>
<h4>Health benefits of plant-based protein</h4>
<p>Plant-based protein products also tend to be lower in cholesterol, calories and saturated fat than their animal-based equivalents.  Mass-market solutions that perfectly replace animal protein with plant protein are emerging.</p>
<p>The emergence of plant-based protein foods also provides the opportunity to spur economic diversification and youth employment.  Combining technology, capacity-building and investments with agricultural projects will enable the continent to become more food-secure, and reduce the risk of conflict, famine, and malnutrition.</p>
<p>This effort will also help find a long-term solution to the escalating food crisis in Africa and bring to life the UN’s 2030 vision of ending hunger and malnutrition. For parents, it will also ease our minds in knowing that our children are eating food that is healthy and safe.  Reducing our dependence on animal-based foods will reduce our risk of animal-borne diseases such as listeriosis and help ensure we have a long-term sustainable planet.</p>
<p><em>* Michelle Adelman is an advocate for plant-based protein foods in Africa</em></p>


Op-Ed: Listeriosis – a wake-up call for Africa

<p>Ilse Struweg | <em>University of Johannesburg</em></p>
<p>Tiger Brands, the South African food giant at the centre of the listeriosis storm engulfing the country, is facing serious brand erosion as a result of the way it handled the unfolding crisis.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-301874 size-full" src="http://cnbc.africa/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Tiger-Brands_GettyImages.png" alt="" width="850" height="530" /></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>It could have responded better.</p>
<p>Tiger Brands was thrown into the centre of the listeriosis storm after South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases announced that its investigation had traced the origins of the disease to one of the company’s biggest meat processing plants. The culprit was identified as polony from the Enterprise Foods facility that produces a range of cold meats. Tiger Brands, a $2.5 billion Johannesburg Stock Exchange listed business, owns Enterprise Foods among other continent wide popular food brands.</p>
<p>South Africa has been struggling with the listeriosis outbreak for 14 months. Unable to find the source of the affected products, the outbreak developed into the worst case of listeriosis in the world. By the end of February 2018, health authorities had confirmed 948 cases with 180 fatalities.</p>
<p>The repercussion was always going to be unforgiving. But Tiger Brands has not helped the situation. It has overlooked a number of the accepted protocols of handling a crisis of this nature. As a result, the company’s brand equity is taking serious strain.</p>
<h2>The brand erosion</h2>
<p>Tiger Brands compromised its brand equity in three key areas.</p>
<p>Tiger Brands could have been more rapid in its responses. The source of the listeriosis outbreak was announced by South Africa’s Health Minister, Aaron Motsoaledi, at midday on Sunday 4 March 2018. He announced that Tiger Brands had been issued with safety recall notices. But the company only held a media briefing a day later. Given that the minister would have given the company advanced warning (even before the official media briefing), its response was far too slow.<strong>Response speed:</strong> An organisation’s survival in a crisis, particularly when lives are at risk, depends enormously on the speed of its responses.</p>
<p><strong>Continued strategic engagement:</strong> Since the media conference, the company has engaged in very limited meaningful communication that would have helped it reclaim some brand equity. Organisations need to understand that in a crisis, they are competing with every form of media – including social media – to tell their story.</p>
<p>If organisations don’t keep engaging with stakeholders, others in the media fill the vacuum. It also leaves the door wide open for speculation and innuendo.</p>
<p>The lack of engagement inevitably raises concerns about how transparent the company has been in handling this crisis.</p>
<p><strong>Compassion:</strong> In its scant communication Tiger Brands failed to show compassion – an essential ingredient for navigating a crisis of this magnitude. Unless the organisation acknowledges how its audience is feeling, which Tiger Brands failed to do, any organisation in crisis is fighting an uphill battle. The company’s lack of compassion meant that the company came across as cold and unsympathetic. By showing compassion, an organisation creates a bond and puts audiences in a receptive state, key components to any successful communication.</p>
<p>Tiger Brands will be remembered for trying to deny responsibility and refusing to apologise. This impression was created by ill-advised comments made by the company’s CEO Lawrence MacDougall when he was grilled by journalists. In one response he said:</p>
<p><strong><em>&#8220;There has been no direct correlation between our products and the deaths yet, so we are unaware of any direct link.&#8221;</em></strong></p>
<p>The fact that the crisis had led to 180 deaths called for a dose of compassion, not a defensive response.</p>
<h2>What now for Tiger Brands?</h2>
<p>Tiger Brands will have to embark on serious brand rehab. To achieve that it will have to be totally transparent in the management of the crisis, engage strategically with stakeholders and be mindful of the tone of its engagement. The company will have to become more visible and must be seen to be a critical part of solutions.</p>
<p>But it’s also important to point out that the listeriosis crisis goes beyond Tiger Brands. It isn’t just a crisis for the company. The outbreak has had a major impact on food outlets – big and small – in the country. It has also affected companies and consumers beyond South Africa’s borders, so much so that the crisis could do long lasting damage to the country’s cold meats industry.</p>
<p>All stakeholders related to the listeriosis crisis, including the South African government, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases and the processed meat industry, should step away from trying to face the crisis on their own. They should also stop trying to shift responsibility. Instead they should think of working together.</p>
<p>This calls for a completely different approach to brand rehab after a crisis. It calls for a systems approach that envisages all the affected parties understanding that they are inter connected. In a cooperative, integrated system like this the equity of the one organisation’s brand is linked with the equity of other brands and institutions in the system.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/93210/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />South Africa needs to take a more collective approach if it’s going to deal with the crisis effectively.</p>
<p><em>This article was originally published on The Conversation. </em></p>


Three major mistakes Tiger Brands made in response to the listeriosis crisis

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<p>Gauteng Finance MEC Barbara Creecy tabled the Gauteng budget for the current financial year and education and Health have once again claimed the lion’s share of the spending, both getting over R45 billion.</p>


How Gauteng plans to deal with listeria

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<p>The panic over the Listeriosis outbreak carried on this morning. At least 180 people are dead and hundreds more ill in South Africa – one of the worst outbreaks of the disease the world has ever seen.</p>


Panic spreads over #Listeriosis outbreak

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<p>As the story around the original source of the listeriosis outbreak continues to develop, Pick n Pay and Woolworths have started recalling all products named as possible culprits in the listeriosis outbreak.</p>


SA govt not Tiger Brands is to blame for listeria – Eco-wize

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<p>CNBC Africa’s Chris Bishop breaks down the news of a listeriosis outbreak affecting South Africa.</p>


#Listeriosis outbreak: What you need to know

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<p>Joining CNBC Africa to discuss the impact of listeria for the poultry industry is Marthinus Stander is Chief Executive Officer at Country Bird Holdings.</p>


#Listeriosis: We need more stringent controls on meat imports – Country Bird CEO

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<p>It’s one of the worst outbreaks of the dreaded Listeriosis disease the world has ever seen. It has killed scores of people and caused havoc in the South African food and supermarket business.</p>


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Tiger Brands welcomes high court’s certification of listeriosis class action

Are meat imports bringing #listeria to SA?

The role of data management in controlling food-borne diseases

Tiger Brands: The cost of #Listeria

S.Africa’s Tiger Brands flags loss at meat unit after listeria outbreak

RCL is not in the clear for #Listeria – Health Minister

South Africa’s RCL says no traces of deadly listeria strain at its factory

S.Africa’s listeria outbreak in early stages, will spread – minister

Op-Ed: Listeriosis – a wake-up call for Africa

Three major mistakes Tiger Brands made in response to the listeriosis crisis

How Gauteng plans to deal with listeria

Panic spreads over #Listeriosis outbreak

SA govt not Tiger Brands is to blame for listeria – Eco-wize

#Listeriosis outbreak: What you need to know

#Listeriosis: We need more stringent controls on meat imports – Country Bird CEO

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Tiger Brands CEO: We are on the road to recovery from listeriosis outbreak

Tiger Brands welcomes high court’s certification of listeriosis class action

Are meat imports bringing #listeria to SA?

The role of data management in controlling food-borne diseases

Tiger Brands: The cost of #Listeria

S.Africa’s Tiger Brands flags loss at meat unit after listeria outbreak

RCL is not in the clear for #Listeria – Health Minister

South Africa’s RCL says no traces of deadly listeria strain at its factory

S.Africa’s listeria outbreak in early stages, will spread – minister

Op-Ed: Listeriosis – a wake-up call for Africa

Three major mistakes Tiger Brands made in response to the listeriosis crisis

How Gauteng plans to deal with listeria

Panic spreads over #Listeriosis outbreak

SA govt not Tiger Brands is to blame for listeria – Eco-wize

#Listeriosis outbreak: What you need to know

#Listeriosis: We need more stringent controls on meat imports – Country Bird CEO

South Africans react to the news of #Listeriosis outbreak

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