The canning company was started by the Drake family just outside of Tzaneen. Their unique concept of canning chicken feet, or ‘runaways’ was the brainchild of the late Spencer Drake, founder of Tin Stuf. According to Eiren Drake, grandson of Spencer and managing director of Tin Stuf, it took six years of ingenious engineering by Spencer to develop this world first product concept. “New policies and procedures had to be developed and scrutinised by regulative authorities, from design and commissioning of a dynamic production facility that complies with the impeccable internationally recognised standard of HACCP certified quality assurance and food safety management system.”

He says that because runaways, or a walkie-talkie meal as it’s known on the street, was regarded as “inedible offal” by SANS, it took real determination by Spencer to “rewrite the law”, so to speak and get it approved as was recently published (SANS1675:2020 specification) making provision for canned offal! “I believe that we have unlocked the ability to provide convenient access to more affordable, more sustainable, long lasting, nutritious protein products that have been widely enjoyed and loved by millions of people for decades,” Eiren said.

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Two variants of Tin Stuf’s canned chicken feet and necks have recently gained a national listing with the Shoprite Group of Companies and they are in the process of developing an additional five new products for Shoprite under the Tin Stuf brand. “I was initially contacted by the company’s head buyer in February 2020 to commence discussions about their interest in listing our product under their house brand – since then we’ve gained the benefit of being supported under their small supplier development policy and managed to attain the mentorship of Africa’s largest retailer (in excess of 2,400 stores).

“I have benefited greatly from the opportunity to work with Shoprite top level management to shape the various aspects that surround the listing process, food safety requirements, trade term agreements, exclusivity and ultimately the introduction of the new retail category that we’ve created and launch of a new brand and a new product to the Shoprite market,” Eiren said.