At one point or another, many of us have scoured the internet for food or beverage that is not available anymore.
Certain foods that have been discontinued fuel our hunger on a literal and figurative level.
Over the years, many beloved foods have disappeared from grocery store shelves but a select few of the memorable items have made a triumphant return to our kitchen pantries.
Fans of the foods have campaigned for the restoration of their favourites, through everything from impassioned Facebook comments to heartfelt online petitions.
Check out these discontinued foods that have made a welcome return:
1. Hellmann’s mayonnaise
In June, Pick n Pay announced that it was bringing back this much-loved condiment. It had been discontinued earlier this year.
“It’s hard to say goodbye to delicious Hellmann’s Mayonnaise. But, due to high inflationary import costs, we will regretfully be discontinuing Hellmann’s in South Africa until further notice.
“A big thanks to our loyal fans for all the mayo love over the years (heart emoji),” the brand said.
The news left mayo lovers disappointed.
However, thanks to Pick n Pay, we can now stock up on the much-loved mayonnaise in more than 100 stores nationwide, in two new-format jars, 800g and 400g.
In a statement, the retail company said that when the product had been de-listed by its supplier, the chain store had assured customers it was hard at work to get the iconic mayonnaise brand back in stores as soon as possible.
“When the local supplier de-listed the product earlier this year, our customers were heartbroken.
“In keeping with our customer promise to deliver the products they want and need, we immediately started exploring other supply options around the world to get the product back on our shelves as quickly as possible,” said Calvin Watson, the head of department at Edible Groceries.
2. Redro and Peck’s Anchovette
In October, Pick n Pay announced that it would also bringing back the fish paste brand Redro and Peck’s Anchovette after Pioneer Foods had discontinued it in SA.
SA consumers were distraught when the news had broken.
The category manager of foods at PepsiCo SSA, Mandy Murphy, said it had made the decision to discontinue production of its Redro and Peck’s fish paste products towards the end of 2021.
“This was part of our ongoing portfolio review. We communicated this to our customers, stopped production and discontinued the sale of related items in December 2021,” said Murphy.
Now also exclusive to Pick n Pay stores, the retail company said it had worked closely with Cape Gulf Brands & Premier Fishing to bring the popular fish paste products back on the shelf.
In a statement, the chief marketing officer, Andrew Mills, said: “We are really delighted to bring the taste of nostalgia back by reintroducing these beloved classics.
“We’re dedicated to bringing customers, not just groceries but moments of joy and cherished memories through the products we offer.”
