Adventure through food: Magwinya from South Africa

Today’s consumers crave novel culinary experiences, with many food and beverage companies looking aboard for inspiration. Notably, globalisation is creating ample opportunity for flavour exploration, stemming from consumers enjoying foreign dishes when travelling. They develop an interest in these particular flavours and then actively look for these when home.

According to Innova⁽¹⁾, 74% of global consumers said they like food and drink products with new and unusual flavours, thus affirming that there is a strong expectation for foodstuffs with international flavours.

Famous for its great natural beauty and cultural diversity, all of which have made the country a favoured destination for travellers since the legal ending of apartheid in 1994, South Africa is also home to a wide range of foods such as biltong, boerewors, malva pudding and bunny chow, many of which are a hit in food markets across the world.

Originating from a township called Ekasi in Gautang, South Africa, Magwinya is a traditional and familiar delicacy to all South Africans and has been for many years.

Known as a South African “street food,” the Magwinya is sold by many street vendors around the country.  It is a convenient on-the-go meal and can be filled with many different fillings, from polony and atchar to curried mince, or even jam and cheese.

Due to the popularity and demand for these familiar golden balls, South Bakels has launched a convenient and easy-to-produce Magwinya Mix, which only requires the addition of luke warm water and yeast and is suitable for a shorter proofing time.  The end result is a Magwinya which is fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside.

This premix can also be used to make another authentic traditional favourite, which is loved by many South Africans – The Vetkoek. This is a traditional fried dough bread and too forms part of South Arican culture. This premix has been formulated to be enjoyed over 2-3 days, an advantage over the traditional scratch mix, which only gives a 1-day shelf life.

In addition to the integration of foreign cuisines and exotic foods, a new desire to fuse and blend culinary styles and traditions is emerging. The joyful experimentation with ingredients and preparation methods excites many and with 35% of consumers now getting inspiration from social media⁽¹⁾, this provides the perfect stage to showcase new and increasingly popular recipes.

Discover more about the mix from our colleagues at South Bakels, which is available in 12.5kg bags.

Data:

(1) Innova (July 2022) – International tastes spark culinary innovation.