Eskort says it is repositioning itself from a retail-focused pork producer into a full meal-solutions supplier for South Africa’s hotel, restaurant and catering market, as it targets 30% growth in the sector within two years.
The 108-year-old company, long known for its supermarket staples and chain of 30-plus retail stores, told Business Day the food-service and hospitality segment constitutes about 10% of its revenue. It now wants to increase that contribution, supported by an expanded product range and a broader distribution footprint.
The new strategy is centred on supplying hotels, restaurants, cafés and caterers with complete breakfast, lunch and dinner options rather than focusing on its traditional catering range of bacon, sausages, Russians, rib burgers and cold meats.
The company said it has broadened its offering to include convenience products across all mealtimes. Breakfast items include bacon, grillers and pork sausages. Lunch products cover crumbed schnitzels, strips and frikkadels. Dinner solutions include roasts, rashers, pork chops and a growing range of value-added meats.
CEO Arnold Prinsloo said there is growing demand for products that offer hygiene, consistency and ease of use in commercial kitchens. This includes individually wrapped pork chops, pork fillets and pork mince. He said Eskort believes that these items will support its push into the mainstream food-service segment, where pork consumption is rising due to its price advantage over beef and chicken.
According to Prinsloo, the company’s supply capability has expanded thanks to a R300m investment in its Heidelberg facility, which now houses what Eskort describes as the largest box freezer in Africa. The freezer can process 120 tonnes of pork per day, a capacity Prinsloo said directly supports product quality by ensuring rapid freezing, a key requirement for hotel, restaurant and catering market suppliers.
Eskort’s farming and production standards are central to its pitch to the sector. The company sources from three shareholder-owned farms that use European genetics to produce what it calls high-health, antibiotic-free herds. Prinsloo said these farms operate under safe and ethical practices that align with hospitality buyers’ growing focus on sustainability.
Bidfood, the largest supplier to the sector, and major distributor EconoFoods both buy a wide range of Eskort products through more than 20 national distribution centres. Prinsloo said these partnerships remain secure, and the company is working to expand its reach through its own retail stores, which now supply local restaurants and caterers using in-house delivery vehicles.
He said distribution has historically been the company’s biggest challenge in the hotel, restaurant and catering market, given the need to deliver consistently to both major metros and remote towns. Its retail network, together with EconoFoods’ footprint, is improving its ability to service customers in areas ranging from Johannesburg to Hoedspruit, he said.
Prinsloo said trends in the sector show growing interest in menu-aligned products, and Eskort is exploring ways to tailor its pork offerings to support recipe development and kitchen workflows. He said the company’s success with its retail convenience range shows its ability to adapt to shifting consumer and culinary preferences.
Eskort also supplies regional distributors in eSwatini, Namibia, Botswana, Rwanda, Mauritius, Seychelles and Madagascar. According to Prinsloo, pork demand in these markets continues to grow due to affordability and versatility across different cuisines.
He said Eskort’s goal by 2028 is to have a stronger presence in the food-service sector, driven by higher volumes, broader product uptake and improved national distribution.
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