What’s the Difference? A Woolies Food Podcast

From a childhood living room to the top of the South African fine dining scene, Johannes Richter, the 2025 Eat Out Woolworths Chef of the Year, joins us to share how The LivingRoom at Summerhill Guest Estate was built on a bold promise: to source 90% of the ingredients within 150 kilometres – and make them exceptional. We also sit down with Sally Holderness, Head of Product: Trends, Insights, Strategy and Science at Woolworths, to answer a question you’ve asked yourself in the fruit aisle: why are some bananas wrapped in plastic? Sources: Shop the Snack & Yap products: https://tinyurl.com/cztnnywc Our legal team wants you to read our disclaimer: https://www.woolworths.co.za/corporate/cmp215994  Source for 17:20 – read more about Farming for the Future: https://www.woolworths.co.za/content/article/farming-for-the-future/_/A-cmp100417 And more about the Good Business Journey as a whole: https://tinyurl.com/wnsc2zz7 Enjoy this interactive Farming for the Future experience: https://wooliesfarmingforthefuture.co.za/ Learn more about The LivingRoom here: https://summerhillkzn.com/livingroom/

Get ready for our most controversial episode to date! Dr Robyn Milton, a GP with a special interest in hormonal health, drops truth bombs about the Ozempic phenomenon and how it’s reshaping our eating habits. From her own eye-opening experience with GLP-1 medications to the surprising science behind "food noise", this conversation will challenge everything you think you know about weight loss, willpower, and the future of food. Plus, Marli Roberts, Woolworths Food Head of Product: Central Sensory Quality and Innovation, gives insights into how Woolies thinks about health when coming up with new products. Warning: this episode contains frank discussions about weight, medical interventions and body autonomy that some listeners may find challenging. Note that Dr Robyn Milton’s comments are general in nature and are not a substitute for medical advice. Sources: Shop the Snack & Yap products: ⁠https://www.woolworths.co.za/cat/_/N-o3pw8w?Exact=true ⁠ Read the transcript here: ⁠https://www.woolworths.co.za/corporate/cmp216000 ⁠ Disclaimer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.woolworths.co.za/corporate/cmp215994 ⁠ Sources for 45:08 Read about Woolies’ food security efforts here:  ⁠https://www.woolworthsholdings.co.za/woolworths-marks-world-food-day-by-strengthening-its-commitment-to-food-security/⁠  And more about the Good Business Journey as a whole:  ⁠https://www.woolworthsholdings.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2025-Good-Business-Journey-Report.pdf⁠ Source for 46:45 Take a look at Woolworths’ purpose, vision and values:  ⁠https://www.woolworthsholdings.co.za/overview/our-purpose-vision-and-values/⁠ Source for 47:04A recent Woolies food innovation: ⁠https://www.woolworthsholdings.co.za/woolies-champions-a-holistic-approach-to-everyday-eating-at-the-good-life-show/⁠ Find out more about Dr Robyn Milton here: ⁠https://www.docrobyn.co.za/⁠  And read her deep-dive blog post about GLP-1 agonists here: ⁠https://docrobyn.co.za/health-uncensored-blog-item/glp1-agonists-uncensored-guide/⁠    

What happens when a systems engineer trades his corporate salary for a grill? Miles Kubheka's story will completely change how you think about entrepreneurship, food security, and building scalable solutions. Plus, Yusuf Limbada, Head of Trade: Prepared, Bakery and Frozen, explains why he never tells people that he works at Woolworths at a braai. New episodes every Wednesday Brought to you by Woolworths Produced by POP24 Shop the Snack & Yap products: ⁠https://www.woolworths.co.za/cat/_/N-o3pw8w?Exact=true ⁠ Read the transcription of the podcast here:  ⁠https://www.woolworths.co.za/corporate/cmp215993 ⁠ Disclaimer: ⁠https://www.woolworths.co.za/corporate/cmp215994⁠ Source for stats on screen at 18:57 and 19:24: ⁠https://www.woolworthsholdings.co.za/woolworths-marks-world-food-day-by-strengthening-its-commitment-to-food-security/ ⁠ Detailed info on the Woolies Good Business Journey: ⁠https://www.woolworthsholdings.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2025-Good-Business-Journey-Report.pdf⁠ Find out more about Miles Kubheka: ⁠https://mileskubheka.com⁠ The restaurant and brand he started, and has since sold: ⁠https://www.vuyos.co.za⁠ Gcwalisa shops: ⁠https://www.gcwalisa.com⁠ Read more about DIME and the UN: ⁠https://www.undp.org/south-africa/projects/digital-innovation-modernising-independent-economy-dime⁠ Sphazamisa app: ⁠https://www.sphazamisa.co.za⁠ Visit the Wakanda food accelerator: ⁠https://wakanda.org.za