South African Fast-Food Franchises Ranked for Plant-Based Friendliness 2024

More South Africans purchased take-out during May this year than voted in the national elections. With Quick-Service Restaurants [QSRs] feeding more households country-wide than ever before, ProVeg has mapped and positioned popular chains according to the prevalence of their veggie options.

The global rise of veganism has been accelerating in recent years, with more people making the lifestyle switch due to health and environmental concerns. The release of this new report precedes World Vegan Day on the 1st of November, inaugurating the annual World Vegan Month celebration, a period wherein consumers traditionally purchase more plant-based meal items and experiment with vegan dietary habits in general.

With this being the third annual edition of the ProVeg South Africa Plant-Based-Friendly Fast-Food Franchise Ranking, it reflects the continued growth of plant-based options in QSRs in South Africa, in line with the overall growth of the national fast-food industry which has seen a 41% increase in turnover from takeaways and fast-food outlets compared to 2019, surging at an expected CARG [Compound Annual Growth Rate] of 9.0% between 2023 and 2027.

Says Donovan Will, Country Director, ProVeg South Africa: “Despite a challenging market environment, both in the food space generally and in the plant-based food sector specifically, there remain significant avenues for QSRs to profit from opportunities created by the continued interest in plant-based offerings. These include attracting new customers, increasing the spend of existing customers, and highlighting commitments towards improving the health and sustainability of their ranges.”

The continued growth of plant-based menu items in the fast-food industry further reflects enhanced consumer demand for healthier, ethical, and more environmentally-friendly options. Additionally, it is important to underscore the vital role that QSRs play in the plant-based industry. These eateries often serve as the initial point of contact for consumers interested in trying plant-based meat alternatives. Since these popular food outlets are familiar and trusted, they facilitate the introduction and acceptance of alternative products among consumers. The purpose of this report is to evaluate menu offerings in South Africa according to specific criteria, including the variety and percentage of plant-based options, as well as the presentation, labelling and positioning of meal items. In addition, the report features an analysis of, and recommendations for, the top five ranked chains. It further highlights potential opportunities and provides a market review of the industry as a whole.

The winner of this year’s Plant-Based Fast-Food Ranking in South Africa is Simply Asia, moving up from second place in 2023. The franchise excels with its plant-based menu, offering a wide range of options that span different meal categories, such as Thai-inspired noodle and rice dishes, along with a variety of sushi choices. Simply Asia leads the way in terms of labelling and menu presentation, seamlessly integrating plant-based options into their overall menu in order to cater to all consumers, while also creating a separate menu for plant-based customers. They set an exemplary standard by using tofu as a vegan hero ingredient, which can be easily substituted for meat across all their dishes, demonstrating the simplicity of incorporating vegan alternatives into meals.

Rounding out the top five veggie-friendly QSRs in South Africa, the best performers include [in descending order] Kauai, Panarottis, Nando’s and Spur – atop a competitive field of 26 qualifying QSRs.

From the 2024 ranking, ProVeg South Africa’s overall sentiment is one of excitement for an increased demand for plant-based options throughout the fast-food industry. This is substantiated by expansion in the QSR industry in the last five years, as well as a globally booming plant-based market. However, a recent survey by ProVeg South Africa revealed a significant gap in awareness of the increasing number of plant-based options available across all the QSRs listed in this report. Of the 800 respondents surveyed (all readers of the PVSA website), on average only 31% were aware of the availability of plant-based options at specific QSRs. This means there is a notable lack of awareness of the plant-based options available in restaurants among people interested in plant-based eating.

Given that these respondents are already engaged in the plant-based space, the awareness of the general population is likely much lower. This highlights a significant marketing opportunity to attract new customers by strategically targeting the desired audience. Engaging consistently with a small but influential audience can significantly boost awareness of plant-based options at QSRs. If ProVeg’s informed target audience remains largely unaware, flexitarians in the population at large are even more unlikely to discover these options on their own.

Restaurant chains can profit by highlighting their environmental and health-friendly practices, particularly in terms of plant-based food options. Currently, few to none of the plant-based choices available in eligible QSRs are marked with health indicators such as reward programmes or heart-healthy labels. ProVeg is confident about the significant opportunities in the QSR industry for manufacturers of plant-based products. This is particularly applicable to seafood alternatives and seafood chains.

With the objective of meeting consumer demands, increasing sales of plant-based items, and enhancing consumer satisfaction, each participating QSR in this report receives ProVeg’s industry insights and recommendations. These include menu item and ingredient adjustments, as well as menu labelling and placement. The groundwork for plant-based options has already been laid: the focus is now on growth and increasing consumer awareness of these offerings beyond 2024, aiming to capitalise on a global vegan food market which is projected to reach USD 65.4 billion by 2030 at a CARG of 10.41%.

For the 2024 ranking, the period for data collection and evaluation ran from 7 January to 7 May 2024. The scoring system awarded points based on the number of plant-based mains, side dishes, and desserts on a menu, as well as their proportion of the total menu. The majority of points were allocated for the number and percentage of main meal options, with fewer points awarded for sides and desserts.

Download the full  2024 report here. For additional information on the data-collection process, ranking methodology, scoring system, and the limitations of this report, please visit the ProVeg evaluation criteria page.