From farm to table: How ButtaNutt is reshaping South Africa's food landscape?

Zawya

a day ago

The global shift towards plant-based foods is reshaping consumer habits, and in South Africa, ButtaNutt has emerged as a notable player in this growing space. Founded in 2013 by Antoine van Heerden, the business began with macadamias from his family's farm and has maintained a strong focus on local sourcing and clean, simple ingredients.
Antoine van Heerden, Founder, ButtaNutt
Over the past year, ButtaNutt has hit key milestones — commissioning South Africa's first purpose-built UHT plant for plant-based milks in Paarl and securing a 54% equity investment from PSG Group in May 2025.
In this Q&A, van Heerden unpacks how ButtaNutt's growth is tied to local agriculture, from long-term farm partnerships to shifting crop demand— and how the company sees its role in building a more sustainable, resilient food system.
ButtaNutt's story began with macadamias from your parents' farm in Mpumalanga. In what ways did that farming background shape your approach to sourcing and product innovation?
Growing up with access to local produce, especially macadamias from my parents' farm, instilled the importance of using what is abundant and local. This approach allows us to benefit from shorter lead times, more stable pricing, and ultimately fresher products for our customers.
It has shaped our commitment to source ingredients that are both sustainable and reliably available, reducing our dependence on long, complex supply chains.
Which South African farms or regions currently supply your core ingredients like nuts, oats, and coconuts — and what kind of impact do these partnerships have on local agri communities?
Our macadamias primarily come from the Lowveld in Mpumalanga and parts of KwaZulu-Natal. Almonds are sourced from Western Cape areas such as Paarl, Robertson, and the Klein Karoo. Pecans and peanuts come from the Northern Cape, while oats are sourced from the Overberg and Swartland regions.
Although our coconuts are currently imported, we're exploring opportunities to source them locally from Mozambique to support regional agriculture. These partnerships help to strengthen local farming communities by providing stable demand and encouraging investment in quality and capacity.
As the business scaled up its plant-based range, what have been some of the key agricultural challenges and supply opportunities along the way? Any particular crops seeing noticeable growth off the back of your product demand?
Agricultural challenges such as drought and hail damage have caused supply volatility and price fluctuations in some crops. For example, almond pricing is heavily influenced by California markets and exchange rates, which adds complexity.
Despite this, South Africa is among the world's largest macadamia exporters, but our volumes remain relatively small within that market.
Notably, macadamia plantings have increased significantly in recent years, which is promising. Oats represent perhaps our biggest growth opportunity; volumes have increased significantly this year, approaching 1,000 metric tonnes. We see exciting potential in establishing more direct relationships with farmers to secure a sustainable and scalable supply.
The commissioning of your UHT plant in Paarl marked a major milestone. How has this facility influenced local value chains or opened new doors for South African farmers?
The UHT plant has allowed us to convert to using local oats and source directly from farms, improving traceability and local impact. This year, we began buying from Paarl farmers for the first time.
The value distributed to our local suppliers has increased by approximately 50% over the past year, correlating with a 50% growth in our sales. Investing in local processing can significantly boost value retention and economic benefit for regional agricultural communities.
With fresh backing from PSG Group and a growing product portfolio, where do you see ButtaNutt's future demand potentially shifting or growing agricultural supply in South Africa?
We anticipate strong growth in our locally produced high-oleic peanut butter, which aligns with health trends. Our nut milks and oat milk lines continue to expand robustly.
Additionally, we plan to launch new ready-to-drink plant-based products that emphasise high protein content and nutrient fortification, which will likely increase demand for diverse local crops and create new opportunities for farmers.
For young entrepreneurs looking to build businesses around adding value to local farm produce, what lessons from your journey would you pass on?
Stay close to your local farmers and producers—that's where the real opportunity lies. Building trust and relationships takes time, but working with local partners is far easier to manage than dealing with suppliers overseas.
South Africa produces high-quality yet affordable agricultural products that are competitive both domestically and internationally, so leverage this strength.
Given your interest in health, wellness, and growing food at home, how do you see plant-based eating contributing to more sustainable and resilient agricultural systems in South Africa?
I believe being close to your food source will become increasingly important. Food security is delicate, and farmers have long been pressured by pesticide and herbicide manufacturers selling chemical solutions as fixes.
The industry urgently needs a reset and a rethink—a transition is already underway, driven by consumer demand and rising pesticide costs. I hope that more consumers will ask harder questions about what they consume and feed their children.
With autoimmune diseases on the rise and growing evidence linking diet to health, our agricultural systems and food choices must change to support more sustainable, healthful outcomes.
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