The tireless work of South African non-profit organisation Reach for Recovery (R4R) is funded each year by the Power of Pink campaign, a South African Mushroom Farmers’ Association’s (SAMFA) initiative. R1 from every pink punnet of fresh mushrooms sold nationally at Pick n Pay stores during October is donated to R4R’s Ditto Project.  The sole objective of this very special project is to provide free silicone prostheses to breast cancer survivors who cannot afford reconstruction after the life altering and heartbreaking reality of a mastectomy.

Launched in 2011, the Power of Pink campaign has resulted in just under 8000 silicone prostheses provided to financially strapped breast cancer survivors at a cost of more than R5,5 million. “To our astonishment,” exclaims Stephné Jacobs, Reach for Recovery’s National Chairperson, “2020 saw the highest amount raised since the campaign’s inception.  Big hearted South Africans contributed just under R700 000.00 despite their own financial hardships brought on by a year of lockdowns and job cuts. We and the Ditto Project recipients have been truly humbled by this generosity.”

“We couldn’t be prouder of our association with Reach for Recovery’s Ditto Project,” adds SAMFA Chairperson, Ross Richardson. “The dedication of every R4R volunteer – a breast cancer survivor herself – and the immense kindness of all South Africans who support the campaign is such restorative testimony to the goodness that lives in people.”

“Courage is grace under pressure,” said Ernest Hemingway in a 1929 interview with poet Dorothy Parker for The New Yorker magazine. He, of course, was right. Over these difficult Covid-19 years, it’s a mantra that has fuelled and furthered R4R’s most delicate of work, performed out of the public eye. “Lockdown regulations and the vulnerable health of breast cancer survivors in need brought about new challenges for R4R and our Ditto Project,” explains Stephné. “But being survivors ourselves, we realised very quickly that we could and must continue with our services in other ways! As we have done for 53 years, we continued our work with the assistance of advanced technology.

Our organisation’s Peer Support Services passionately offered ongoing much needed support via telephone, WhatsApp, and video conferencing. I am proud to be able to say that we were able to comfort women who not only went through mastectomies but who would also have had to live through the dreadful experience in complete isolation if we were not at the other end for them!”

Whilst fresh mushrooms and breast cancer have a strong humanitarian connection in South Africa, there is another scientific link between fresh mushrooms and the fight against breast cancer. In 2010, the Beckman Institute at the City of Hope Cancer Centre in California found that eating just 10g of mushrooms a day more than halved people’s risk of developing breast cancer.

That’s means eating just one fresh mushroom a day, a staggeringly easy step in self-care to avoid the ravages of such a terrible disease.  So, in 2021 let’s once again take courage together, for each of our own health and the restoration of breast cancer survivors. Let’s once again purchase fresh mushrooms in pink punnets at Pick n Pay stores from September 20 this year in an extended Power of Pink campaigns that will run until the end of October.

For more information, please contact Gina McLoughlin on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 0824137538.

Alternatively go to SAMFA’s website: www.mushroominfo.co.za

From a small grocery store opened by Luigi Lavazza in 1895, Lavazza coffee was born. It is synonymous of excellent Italian Espresso in over 90 countries and the leading brand of coffee in Italy. Lavazza coffee has been on an endless journey of innovation from blending coffees from different parts of the world to catering to the tastes of individuals, to new roasting machines that ensure aromatic excellence and allowing coffee to be prepared with beans and a capsule. Lavazza is a global leader and a premium coffee specialist true to exploring, discovering and reinventing the art of blending.

Lavazza coffee is being re-launched in October 2018 by Incobrands into leading South African retailers like Pick n Pay, Checkers and Spar. 

Retail Product Range 

Qualità Oro is the very first Lavazza blend, created in 1956 and is available in retail stores. The coffee is ideal for those who love to savour a premium blend daily. Made from a selection of the finest 100% Arabica beans, mainly from Latin America, this blend is fruity and aromatic, with hints of malt and honey suitable for all coffee makers.

Qualità Rossa is rich and full-bodied coffee, perfect for those who want to get off to a great and energetic start to their day. This uniquely blended coffee is made from a combination of Brazilian Arabica beans for body and sweetness with African and South East Asian Robusta beans fir intensity and warm notes of cocoa. It is a richly flavoured coffee ideal for an everyday coffee with its intense and energetic blend.

Crema E Gusto is ideal coffee for any occasion, with the perfect combination of intensity and full-body for the perfect latte and caffe latte. This creamy and full-bodied blend consists of a selection of high quality Arabica and Robusta beans with a fragrantly flavour and pleasant chocolatey finish. A classic Italian coffee and amongst Italy’s best sellers!

For the decaffeinated coffee lovers, Caffè Decaffeinato is the ideal decaf offer by Lavazza. Lavazza decaffeination method is natural and preserves the authentic taste of the quality coffee beans. The natural method results in a coffee rich and full in flavour and body, with notes of honey and almond. This coffee is perfect for any time of the day or night.

Lavazza Prontissimo offers more than just an instant coffee, it is a 100% Arabica blend enriched with 10% finely ground coffee to get a great premium tasting instant coffee. Prontissimo! CLASSICO presents a round and well-balanced taste with top notes of caramel. Prontissimo! INTENSO presents a strong and full-bodied taste with notes of roasted beans. For the taste lovers, Lavazza Prontissimo makes an extraordinary taste experience, in an instant!

Compatible Capsules 

Through dedication to innovation and quality, Lavazza has launched a new line of capsules compatible with Nespresso®* domestic machines. The creation of the capsules begins with a “Noble Dark Roasting” method — developed by the company – with the aim of extracting the most “noblest” of aromas. This is coupled with a velvety grind that yields a superior in-cup result, guaranteeing a smooth and even coffee extraction which preserves all the richness of flavours. The grinds are then blended with others from coffees of diverse origins to create a unique flavour profile for each product. Subsequently, to maintain all the freshness and aroma of the coffee, the blend is packed and sealed in a protective atmosphere with a technology called “Aroma Safe”

The new capsule line is a result of Lavazza’s expertise in leading the coffee industry with quality and innovation, combined with almost thirty years’ experience in the production and marketing of systems and products for the single serve segment. 

END

*Capsules compatible with Nespresso® domestic machines. Nespresso® is a trademark of a third party without any link with Luigi Lavazza S.p.A.

The website Retail Price Watch, the consumer price watchdog, which has been tracking the price of bottled water in supermarkets in the Western Cape, says that although prices in the major chains have not generally risen over the past week, the major issue remains shortage of supply.

“Bottled water manufacturers in the Eastern Cape and KZN have confirmed that they are racing against the clock to supply the unprecedented demand for 5l bottled water in the Western Cape.

“However, when water does become available, it is swept off the shelves within an hour, even though most stores are limiting the quantities available to each customer.

Baker confirmed that today (1 February) at least two Woolworths and two Checkers in the Southern suburbs had no supply.“Pick n Pay Online is advertising 5l Aquartz in quantities limited to 12 bottles, but several people have reported that stock is not available.

“The Western Cape shortage is having a ‘knock-on” effect in many ways: stores in Port Elizabeth have also been selling out fast with Checkers and Shoprite only able to supply 5l bottled water sporadically over the past few days.

“Although Port Elizabeth is facing severe water restrictions, it has not yet named a “Day Zero” so one can only assume that people are stocking up in order to be better prepared in the event of a Cape Town scenario.

“Plastic bottle manufacturers in Gauteng are also experiencing greatly increased demand. Companies in the Western Cape which use 5l and 25l bottles for purposes other than water are finding their businesses affected by lack of supply in the Western Cape and so are turning to Gauteng.

“Plastic bottle manufacturer Blowpet in Bronkhorstspruit says that in addition to orders from businesses in the Western Cape some companies, NGOs and private individuals in Gauteng are buying 5l bottles, filling them at assembly points, and then donating them to various institutions in Cape Town

.“It is difficult to gauge the impact on the environment in Cape Town of all the plastic that is flowing in to the city. In the short term people will probably hang on to their 5l bottles with the intention of refilling them at water points but discarded bottles will add to the already critical plastic waste pollution on our shorelines’ says Baker.  

 “Plastic does not degrade and if burnt it gives off toxic fumes. Perhaps it is time for the big supermarkets and/or plastic recyclers to come to the party and in good time start offering accessible recycling points around the peninsula before the plastic overflow becomes yet another Cape Town crisis.”

What you should be paying for water if you can get it:*

• Aquartz R17 - R22
• Aquelle R19 - R20
• Nestle Pure Life  R18 - R23
• House Brand R15 - R18
• Tsitsikamma  R17 - R19

*Based on current prices in the Western Cape where available and prices around the country

 “Consumers who feel water is being overpriced or that they are being otherwise unfairly treated can write to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . While we cannot promise redress, we will make every attempt to investigate the matter and bring it to the attention of the authorities, “says Baker.  “Only email queries will be attended to. “  

Issued by Viccy Baker This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

In 2016 independent consumer website Retail Price Watch conducted a survey of prices across South Africa’s seven biggest chains in four different categories. The items surveyed were national brands which were selected solely on the basis that they are available from all stores.

This year the comparison was slightly truncated because the same brands were not available at all stores: nevertheless the four “big name stores” are still represented.The chains were Checkers, Pick n Pay, Shoprite and Spar. The categories were baking ingredients, beverages, cereals and porridge, and staples.

The average price of each item in May from stores around the country was used in order to ensure that a single “special” did not unduly weight the overall price of the item.

Pick n Pay proved cheaper than the other three stores in all categories, although by a narrow margin in the Cereals and Porridge category, with less than one cent separating it from its nearest rival Checkers.

“It is noteworthy that only cereal and porridge prices appear to have stabilised or slightly reduced since July last year, while others continue to rise,” says Viccy Baker of Retail Price Watch.

Spar as the most expensive was 5.5% higher than Pick n Pay in the Baking Ingredients category and 5.1% more expensive in the Beverages category. Shoprite was the most expensive in the Cereals and Porridge category, with Pick n Pay beating it by 7.7%. In Staples, Spar came out an average 8.7% more expensive than Pick n Pay.

“This survey is not a basket of goods but it does present a rare opportunity to compare apples with apples, something stores and suppliers are very keen to prevent consumers from doing.

“For example, Cremora dropped its 1 kg pack (surveyed last year) for an 800g pack. The price appears to be lower yet if you adjust the price back to the kilogram price, you will find out that you are paying more per gram for the 800 gram pack than you were for the kilogram pack – “shrinkflation” in action!

“An objective price comparison also provides a reality check in demonstrating that prices move in a very narrow band and are similar over time, no matter which store you buy from. It’s up to consumers to demand value for money and not be taken in by so-called special offers (you have probably been paying more than the average for the special over the past few months so that it will appear as if the price has dropped). “