KFC Africa and University of Johannesburg unite to ‘hack’ hunger with hope
Students from across disciplines competed to design sustainable solutions for child hunger — with one team securing R1m to turn their food-waste innovation into reality.
In celebration of World Food Day, observed on October 16, KFC Africa unveiled a groundbreaking initiative that goes beyond its legendary 11 herbs and spices — this time, it’s a recipe of hope.
At the Biggest Hunger Hack held at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) on October 6, KFC Africa announced that, for the first time, it would make its Add Hope framework publicly available. The move opens up a proven model designed to inspire and empower communities worldwide to combat hunger and strengthen food security.
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The event formed part of KFC Africa’s broader Add Hope initiative, first launched in 2009. Over the years, it has raised more than R1.2b to provide meals and promote healthy eating across South Africa.
Partnering with UJ, KFC Africa head of corporate affairs, Andra Nel, said the collaboration marks a defining moment for the brand’s hunger-relief efforts. “For the first time, through KFC Add Hope, we are inviting the brightest young minds from UJ. It has really allowed the adaptation of the blueprint to become big enough for a national scale. This is not a duplication; it is a collaboration,” she said.
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The hackathon’s top honours went to the team Cntrl-Alt-Del-Hunger, who walked away with R1m in seed funding for their inventive solution addressing food waste and accessibility.
Their concept revolves around a digital funding and food-supply platform that rescues imperfect fruits and vegetables — produce that would otherwise be discarded by farms — and redirects it to communities in need at a lower cost. “This initiative aims to reduce food waste and make nutritious produce more accessible to those in need,” said the team.
The team includes Shepard Thobejane, a third-year Computer Sciences student at UJ, along with Hotu Ramphisa, Thato Magogo, and Sibusiso Nkabinde. Working alongside KFC, Add Hope and the Misfits Mzansi platform, they envision a fairer, more affordable food system for South Africans.
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