JOHANNESBURG – The Tiger Brands Foundation has announced a significant expansion of its high-quality breakfast program in Limpopo Province with the handover of four fully equipped kitchen facilities.
The handover on Thursday (May 8, 2025) was attended by a variety of key stakeholders, including Education Limpopo Mec, Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya, Dr. Basic Education DDG and Dr. Granville Whittle.
The Tiger Brands Foundation said the expansion programme is an unwavering commitment in partnership with the Ministry of Basic Education, which works with and promotes food insecurity for learners of TBF beneficiary schools in South Africa.
The initiative is built on strong public-private partnerships, a collaboration that has consistently provided tangible benefits to learners since its inception in 2011.
“A total of R2 472 791 has been invested in Limpopo Province to expand the school's infrastructure,” the Tiger Brand Foundation revealed.
“This included the construction of a new kitchen at Khabele Primary School in Bella Bela, rated at R1 020 000.”
Additionally, kitchen renovations have been made at Dagbreek Primary School, Maokeng Primary School and Modimolle Primary School in Modimolle, with a total investment in these projects of R1 452 791.
“At the Tiger Brands Foundation, nutrition, food safety and hygiene are the cornerstones of everything we do,” says Eugene Absome, director of the Tiger Brands Foundation.
“Only 5.7% of households experiencing moderate to severe food insecurity in 2023 experienced infrastructure investments and only 5.7% of households experiencing infrastructure investments with modern hygiene and safety standards, Limpopo's construction in reducing food insecurity was consistent with national school nutrition program guidelines, and learners won nouriventivent.
“These kitchens serve as a hub for safe preparation and distribution of nutritious daily breakfast and lunches to learners at these local schools.”
To ensure quality standards for breakfast programs within the school, the Tiger Brands Foundation has a Volunteer Food Handler Skills Development Training Program that is strategically aligned with the Tiger Brands Foundation's comprehensive objective of promoting sustainable livelihoods.
The Tiger Brands Foundation celebrated the graduation of 55 food handlers today through this South African Bureau of Qualifications accreditation training programme.
The program provides a standardized capacity building curriculum for food handlers across all operational areas, providing broader training in key areas such as food safety, hygiene, food preparation, job search and entrepreneurial basics, beyond basic duties.
Ultimately, this comprehensive training aims to significantly improve participants' potential for future employability, start their own business, and thereby promote independence.
Furthermore, the program is intentionally coordinated to address the key goals outlined in the National Development Programme and the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those relating to eradicating poverty, promoting good health and well-being, and creating decent work and economic growth.
The expansion, along with food handlers training at Limpopo, reflects the ongoing commitment to expanding the impact of the Tiger Brand Foundation and reaching more learners in underserved communities.
By providing these important kitchen facilities, the Tiger Brands Foundation not only ensures efficient and hygienic preparation of meals, but also contributes to learner dignity and community empowerment.
“This expansion marks another important step in our journey to cultivate the potential of South African children,” Absolom said.
“These four new kitchens are key infrastructure that will enable thousands of more learners to provide the daily nutrition they need to succeed.
“We believe that hungry learners cannot effectively benefit from academic programs, and by investing in these facilities, we are investing directly in their future and our country’s future.
“We are proud to partner with the Belabella and Modimol community to make a concrete difference in the lives of these young people.”
Looking ahead, the Tiger Brands Foundation said the investment will ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of high-quality breakfast programs in schools.
This investment will have a positive ripple effect within the community the foundation offers as it remains dedicated to its mission of tackling food insecurity and malnutrition, nutritious breakfasts and one nutritious kitchen in a fully equipped kitchen.
