{"id":845262,"date":"2025-12-06T13:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-12-06T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=845262"},"modified":"2025-12-06T08:31:35","modified_gmt":"2025-12-06T06:31:35","slug":"new-brand-taking-over-coffee-shops-across-south-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/business\/845262\/new-brand-taking-over-coffee-shops-across-south-africa\/","title":{"rendered":"New brand taking over coffee shops across South Africa"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Giraf Macadamia Milk is becoming a familiar sight in coffee shops across South Africa, thanks to its compatibility with coffee, while also supporting local farmers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Founder Philip Moufarrige explained<\/a> that the brand began in the Lowveld, close to the region\u2019s macadamia farms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The milk is produced at the AmberMacs Macadamia Factory in White River, which supports more than 200 farmers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These farmers operate in a market where global prices and demand for macadamias can shift quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moufarrige said this uncertainty encouraged him and his team to find alternative uses for the nuts, especially in seasons when demand might drop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turning macadamias into milk, nut butter, and spreads offered a way to ensure nothing went to waste. Macadamias also lend themselves naturally to milk production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moufarrige highlighted that they contain high levels of omega fats, very few carbohydrates, and more healthy fats than other nuts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This gives the milk a naturally creamy texture without relying on added seed or vegetable oils. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUnlike oat and almond milk, our milk is always rich and creamy without adding vegetable or seed oils,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The milk is low in sugar and calories but still works well in coffee, which has helped it gain a foothold in caf\u00e9s across South Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The project took three years to develop and was officially launched in May 2024, despite production and logistical delays. The initial launch included Original, with Oats, and Vanilla variants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moufarrige noted that although Giraf is a plant-based product, he does not position it as an anti-dairy alternative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t get me wrong, I love dairy,\u201d he said. Instead, he views it as an option for individuals who wish to incorporate more plant-based products into their diets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said the milk\u2019s texture \u201cfoams beautifully,\u201d which has been key to its adoption by baristas looking for something that performs reliably.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the main distinctions, according to Moufarrige, is that the milk avoids many of the additives used in other plant-based products. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Growing demand for plant-based products<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Environmental considerations form another part of the brand\u2019s approach. Macadamia trees use significantly less water than almonds and grow well in drier climates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of Giraf\u2019s supplying farmers are AmberGAP-certified, meaning they follow farming methods that protect soil health, encourage biodiversity, and manage water use carefully. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The company also uses solar power for processing and turns macadamia shells into biochar to help regenerate soil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Giraf currently produces four variants\u2014Original, Vanilla, Unsweetened, and Macadamia with Oats. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moufarrige aksi highlighted that the nutritional profile of macadamias contains monounsaturated fats, magnesium, potassium, antioxidants, and other nutrients linked to heart and brain health. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While these are notable, he stressed that the product\u2019s appeal comes mainly from its texture and versatility, not from being marketed as a health product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The milk is now widely available in major retailers, including Dis-Chem, Spar, Pick n Pay, Wellness Warehouse, Faithful to Nature, and Takealot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

South Africa is a major player in the global macadamia industry, with farms concentrated in Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and KwaZulu-Natal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the industry grows, local producers are exploring more value-added products such as nut butters, chocolates, and dairy alternatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Giraf fits into this trend, offering a locally made option that taps into both the country\u2019s agricultural strengths and growing demand for plant-based products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moufarrige said macadamia milk\u2019s lower water and carbon footprint compared to dairy and almond milk also adds to its practicality, particularly in a country facing increasing pressure on water resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For consumers looking for a dairy alternative, he said Giraf offers a simple option that suits everyday use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cIt\u2019s best served chilled, great in coffee, with your cereal, or just on its own,\u201d he says. For those who can\u2019t consume dairy, it provides a straightforward, plant-based substitute.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Giraf Macadamia Milk is becoming a familiar sight in coffee shops across South Africa, thanks to its compatibility with coffee, while also supporting local farmers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":92,"featured_media":845296,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9872],"tags":[24305,853],"class_list":["post-845262","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","tag-giraf-macadamia-milk","tag-south-africa"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/845262","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/92"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=845262"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/845262\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":845663,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/845262\/revisions\/845663"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/845296"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=845262"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=845262"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=845262"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}