South Africa’s Fast-Food Chains Expand Plant-Based Menus, Simply Asia Tops ProVeg’s Rankings – vegconomist

ProVeg South Africa has released the third annual edition of the Plant-Based-Friendly Fast-Food Franchise Ranking report, coinciding with World Vegan Month, to celebrate the rise of veganism in the country and globally.
The new analysis shows ongoing interest and growth in plant-based offerings among South African quick-service restaurants (QSRs). A key finding is that plant-based menu options, including mains, sides, and desserts, have expanded compared to the previous two years, reflecting gastronomic innovations and growing consumer demand.
The surge in plant-based options in food chains aligns 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. According to the non-profit, QSRs are feeding more households country-wide than ever before, and more South Africans purchased take-out during May this year than voted in the national elections.
© Simply Asia
QSRs play a crucial role in plant-based diets
The fast food trend shows why QSRs play a crucial role in introducing and normalizing plant-based options to consumers, functioning as initial touchpoints for those exploring alternatives.
However, ProVeg South Africa says its survey found a significant gap in awareness about the availability of plant-based options among QSR consumers. Of the 800 respondents, only 31% knew plant-based options were available at specific QSRs. The first 2024 edition of the report, released in January, reported similar findings. It suggested effective advertising as a solution to attract not only vegans and vegetarians (3% of the population) but also flexitarians and omnivores, potentially boosting sales and broadening consumer choice.
ProVeg South Africa said it remains enthusiastic about the rising demand for plant-based options within the fast-food sector over the past five years, alongside the rapid expansion of the global plant-based market, including in Africa.
African cuisine is diverse, and many local dishes are already plant-based. Africans consumed just 9.6 kilograms of meat per capita from 2020 to 2022 compared to 78.6 kilos in North America, according to Statista. However, the continent has experienced a shift from plant-based to meat-based diets as the economy grows and more people gain access to demand animal products.
ProVeg International has expanded in Africa, with offices in Nigeria and South Africa, to promote healthier diets, prevent people from adopting Western styles, and raise awareness of new economic opportunities away from animal farming.
© ProVeg South Africa
Simply Asia at the top
As part of the report, ProVeg has mapped, analyzed, and ranked popular chains according to the prevalence of their veggie options. The ranking assessed menu offerings based on the variety and percentage of plant-based options, presentation, labeling, and a specific scoring methodology focusing primarily on main meal options.
Simply Asia, the largest Thai and Asian food restaurant chain in South Africa, topped this year’s ranking, moving up from second place in 2023.
The fast-food chain won for its broad range of plant-based options, such as Thai-inspired noodle and rice dishes and many sushi choices. The Thai food chain also led in labeling and menu presentation, seamlessly integrating plant-based options into their overall menu, catering to all consumers, and 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,” said ProVeg South Africa in the press release.
Other top performers include the restaurants Kauai, Panarottis, Nando’s, and Spur, which competed among 26 qualifying QSRs.
© Vida e caffè
Avenues for QSRs to profit
In the report, ProVeg outlines several recommendations for QSRs to attract new customers and boost customer spending. These strategies aim to help fast-food restaurants tap into the global vegan food market, projected to reach USD 65.4 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.41%.
Among the recommendations, the organization suggests that restaurants should highlight the environmental and health-friendly benefits of plant-based foods. For example, this third QSR evaluation found few plant-based choices marked with health indicators such as reward programs or heart-healthy labels.
Country Director Donovan Will comments, “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.”
Download the full  2024 report here.

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