Recently, Tiger Brands hosted its annual Heritage Day event at the University of Pretoria (UP), a celebration of South African agriculture and food security. This year’s focus was on the journey of small white beans, from local farms to the iconic KOO Baked Beans cans that have been a staple in households for over 80 years. The event, themed “From Soil to KOO Baked Beans”, highlighted the company’s dedication to local sourcing, community engagement, and innovation in the food industry.
The Heritage Day event was a reminder of the pivotal role agriculture plays in South Africa’s food security. It highlighted the company’s ongoing efforts to increase its local procurement of small white beans, a critical component of KOO Baked Beans. With an increasing demand for affordable and nutritious protein sources, beans are among the most consumed and accessible sources of protein in South Africa, especially in lower-income households.
At the heart of Tiger Brands’ efforts is the partnership with local farmers, particularly those in key bean-growing regions like Mpumalanga and the North West province. This year, Tiger Brands procured approximately 19 000 tons of small white beans from local farmers, intending to source 100% of its crop requirement locally in the future. In 2025, Tiger Brands’ procurement strategy aims for a local sourcing split of 83% locally grown beans and 17% imports, with imports dependent on local crop availability.
Despite challenges like climate change, which affects rainfall patterns and crop yields, the company remains committed to local sourcing. The 2025 La Niña (wet) season brought much-needed rainfall, which has helped local farmers produce high-quality beans. Tiger Brands is optimistic about the 2025 harvest, which started in May and is expected to yield good quality and volume through June 2025.
Celebrating women in agriculture
One of the inspiring parts of the Heritage Day event was the recognition of the women farmers who play an integral role in the small white bean sector. Among the 13 farmers from SE Holdings, a key partner of Tiger Brands, six are women who have successfully planted and managed small white beans. SE Holdings supports these farmers with agronomic advice, mechanisation, financial assistance, and market linkages, ensuring that they can grow and sell beans of the highest quality.
Farmers like Marienkie Ntuli, who planted 86 hectares of small white beans, and Nolufefe Maqubela, who planted 143 hectares, are examples of how women are transforming South African agriculture. These women farmers also produce maize and other crops, contributing significantly to local food production and the broader agricultural economy.
The bean growing process: a yearly cycle
The journey of small white beans begins each year between January and May, when the beans are planted. The beans grow throughout the summer and are harvested from May to June, where they are carefully pulled from the soil by hand. The beans are then arranged in wind rows, where they dry naturally under the sun before being harvested by machinery.
Once harvested, the beans are transported to a cleaning facility, where foreign objects like soil, stones, and other debris are removed mechanically. The beans are sorted by colour and size, classified into Grade 1, 2, or 3. Only Grade 1 beans are selected for KOO Baked Beans, ensuring the highest possible quality. The beans then go through a dry cleaning process and are sorted again before being transported to the Tiger Brands Culinary manufacturing site in Boksburg.
At the Boksburg facility, the beans are further cleaned to remove any remaining stones and debris. They are soaked in hot water to soften them before undergoing another round of sorting. After this, they are filled into cans, and the secret tomato sauce is added. The sealed cans are cooked in a rotary cooker at high temperatures before being cooled. The beans then undergo an incubation process of 10 days, during which the quality team conducts micro-analysis to ensure the product meets strict specifications before being released to the market.
A household staple for over 80 years
KOO Baked Beans have been a trusted partner in South African households for more than 80 years. The brand’s history dates back to 1946 when the first Baked Beans in tomato sauce were introduced. Today, KOO Baked Beans remains the number one baked beans product in South Africa, found in 7 out of 10 homes.
At the Heritage Day event, Tiger Brands showcased the importance of innovation in meeting changing consumer demands. In 2021, KOO launched the “Colour Your Plates” culinary competition to promote healthier eating habits, which is currently in its fourth season. This competition has not only fostered creativity but also educated consumers on the benefits of incorporating more plant-based meals into their diets.
Additionally, in 2023, KOO refreshed its packaging to appeal to modern consumers. The brand’s continued success is due to its ability to remain relevant while delivering high-quality products that are accessible to all South Africans.
Beans are one of South Africa’s most affordable sources of protein. At a cost of around R0,32 per gram, beans provide an accessible and nutritious alternative to other protein sources like beef and poultry. The South African baked beans market is experiencing significant growth, driven by both rising demand for plant-based proteins and the affordability of canned beans. Tiger Brands is seizing this opportunity to expand its reach and solidify its leadership position in the baked beans market.
The company’s canning facility in Boksburg processes up to 150 tons of small white beans per day, producing over 9 million cases of cans annually, or 240 million cans. This scale of production helps Tiger Brands maintain its dominance in the South African baked beans market while ensuring the affordability and availability of the product.
Stronger supply chains
The Heritage Day event also underscored the need for sustainable supply chains in the agricultural sector. Tiger Brands is working closely with certified agronomists and farmers to ensure that small white beans are produced efficiently and meet quality standards. The company provides technical support to farmers, including soil sampling, fertilisation programs, crop spraying, and irrigation systems. This partnership is crucial to ensuring the beans are grown sustainably and can withstand environmental pressures like climate change.
Tiger Brands is also addressing the challenges of mechanisation by providing farmers with harvesters to ensure that the crop is harvested efficiently. These efforts are designed to improve the productivity of local farmers, reduce reliance on imports, and strengthen the South African agricultural sector.
Tiger Brands’ plans include increasing the local sourcing of small white beans from 19 000 tons to 28 000 tons by 2030. This goal aligns with the company’s broader procurement strategy, which aims to ensure the sustainability of the bean supply chain in South Africa. By working with local farmers and investing in agricultural innovation, Tiger Brands is building a more resilient food supply system that can better withstand the challenges posed by climate change and global trade fluctuations.
By focusing on local production, sustainable practices, and consumer education, Tiger Brands is not only securing the future of the small white beans supply chain but also playing a key role in South Africa’s food security and agricultural sustainability. The journey of small white beans, from soil to can, is a testament to the strength of local agriculture and the potential for continued growth in the South African food industry.