VIEWERS watching the latest season of MasterChef SA will have immediately noticed the new and impressive food pantry.
Stocked by this season’s new title sponsor, Pick n Pay, the pantry boasts a strong focus on sustainability including a de-packaged fresh produce offering and a packaging-free zone. It also boasts the latest fridge technology, further minimising the impact on the environment.
Mills says the Pick n Pay team worked around the clock to stock the pantry and assist the MasterChef South Africa production team. “We treated the pantry like we would one of our small store formats and delivered the same standards and passion for the products. We also had three dedicated PnP ‘shopkeepers’ attending to the shelves seven days a week to provide the freshest quality for the contestants. Similar to our stores, any food waste was managed very carefully with approved partners.”
A packaging-free zone meant contestants selected pantry staples – from flour and grains to seeds and nuts – directly from large glass jars, helping reduce unnecessary packaging waste during the show’s production. Pick n Pay first trialled its packaging-free zone in its Constantia store and is very popular with shoppers. These products are sourced directly from suppliers and are delivered to the store in large reusable containers before being decanted into containers in the packaging-free zone.
All fresh produce was also free from packaging, something the retailer has already rolled out on a smaller scale in selected stores with its “nude walls”.
“Our best ingredients can turn any home cook into a master chef. We want our customers to be able to recreate their favourite dishes from the show – or create their own delicious recipe – by visiting their local Pick n Pay, or by placing an order on PnP ASAP! to have it delivered to their door with an hour,” he concludes.
MasterChef SA season 4 is on M-Net (DStv Channel 101), Mondays to Thursdays at 6pm from 28 February. The finale will air on Thursday 31 March.