Source: Ed Stoddard, Business Maverick, 20 April 2021, photo credit: INDVSTRVS
The food and beverage – or restaurant and bar – sector has been absolutely slammed by the Covid-19 lockdowns and draconian policies such as prohibition. The data on income generated by the sector make for reading so grim it could drive one to drink. But takeaways and fast food are showing signs of recovery.
The latest data on income generated by the sector, released this week by Statistics South Africa, show that in February, it remained on the ropes. During that month, it declined 24.6% year on year. Leading the downhill charge were bar sales, which fell 49.3%. Food sales were down 22.5%.
In January, the sector’s income had a bigger drop at 37.6%, while bar sales plummeted 80.5%.
Viewed through the prism of “type of enterprise”, a far more mixed picture emerges. Income from catering services experienced a 50.3% fall from February of 2020, in the heady pre-pandemic days. Clearly, big events that get catered for remain few and far between, which, it must be said, is a good thing for Covid containment.
The toll on restaurants and coffee shops was still heavy, with a 32.4% decline. This was recorded despite the fact that the ban on alcohol sales was lifted at the start of February, allowing restaurants to sell adult beverages once again.
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The South African Pork Producers’ Organisation (SAPPO) coordinates industry interventions and collaboratively manages risks in the value chain to enable the sustainability and profitability of pork producers in South Africa.
