The event marked a defining moment for corporate social responsibility on the continent, as KFC Africa transitioned its flagship hunger-relief initiative from a local project into a globally shareable framework for social impact.
From Feeding Programme to Global Blueprint
Launched in 2009, Add Hope has been driven by collaboration — combining customer micro-donations of R2 with KFC’s own significant contributions to provide meals for vulnerable children across thousands of feeding centres in South Africa. The initiative reached a major milestone last year, surpassing R1 billion in total contributions — R600 million from the public and R400 million from the company.
But this year, KFC Africa took things further. At the Hunger Hack event, the company open-sourced the Add Hope recipe for the first time, making its model accessible for others to replicate, scale, and innovate upon. The hackathon brought together 60 of South Africa’s brightest young minds, in partnership with the University of Johannesburg, to develop tech-enabled, community-driven solutions that could strengthen the programme’s impact.
According to KFC Africa’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Andra Nel, Generation Z is central to the fight against hunger.
“They truly get it because they’ve lived or witnessed it,” she said. “They also understand technology, community and systems thinking better than most. So we gave them our blueprint and challenged them to turn it into fresh solutions for even more hope.”
The hackathon’s outcomes, Nel added, were “beyond inspiring,” as young innovators proposed ideas to expand food access, improve logistics, and strengthen community engagement. These insights will feed into a business-led proposal for a Gen Z-powered hunger solution to be presented at the National Convention in early 2026, with seed funding of up to R1 million to support the most promising idea.
Collaboration as the Secret Ingredient
The Add Hope model is built on the belief that collective action is the only sustainable way to address food insecurity. This philosophy was evident at The Biggest Hunger Hack, which brought together business leaders, NGOs, and government representatives to explore new collaborations.
Nel noted that several companies — including McCormick, Digistics, Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa, Foodserv, Tiger Brands, CBH, and Nature’s Garden — have already pledged to partner with KFC to expand the programme’s reach.
“We’re hoping other organisations will join us to scale what already works,” she said. “Collaboration remains our greatest multiplier.”
University of Johannesburg Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Letlhokwa Mpedi praised the initiative as an example of innovation with purpose.
“This collaboration shows how young people, equipped with Fourth Industrial Revolution skills, can develop practical, scalable solutions for social good,” he said.
Hunger as a National Development Challenge
Speakers at the event also emphasized that hunger is not just a humanitarian concern, but a developmental crisis.
Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, founder of Gift of the Givers, underscored the urgency of the issue.
“When you go to a disaster site, the first thing people ask for is food. That hunger didn’t start today; it’s been there for days.”
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| Andra Nel (Head of Corporate Affairs at KFC Africa) |
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| Luvuyo Sandi (SED Business and Fund Manager at Kagiso Trust), Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, (Founder at Gift of the Givers), Professor Naudé Malan (Associate Professor in Business Management within the College of Business and Economics at the University of Johannesburg) |
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| Devi Sankaree Govender (Moderator),Nolo Thobejane (Chief People, Culture and Purpose Officer, KFC Africa, Conny Sethaelo (Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Director for East and Southern Africa, Nestlé), Luvuyo Sandi (SED Business and Fund Manager at Kagiso Trust), Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, (Founder at Gift of the Givers), Professor Naudé Malan (Associate Professor in Business Management within the College of Business and Economics at the University of Johannesburg) |
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| Siya Leshabane (Programme Associate at UN women, South Africa), Dr Marc Aguirre (Country Director at Hope Worldwide). Kefilwe Moalosi (Nutrition and Safety Specialist at African Union Development Agency) |
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| Nolo Thobejane (Chief People, Culture and Purpose Officer, KFC Africa, Mpho Putu (Deputy Director, Department of Social Development), Akhona Qengqe (General Manager KFC Africa), Shoki Tshabalala (Deputy Director General, Department of Women, Youth & Persons with Disabilities), Andra Nel (Head of Corporate Affairs at KFC Africa) |
Representing UN Women, Siya Leshabane highlighted that South Africa is among 20 countries responsible for 65% of severe poverty worldwide, warning that child hunger directly affects learning and cognitive growth.
Similarly, Luvuyo Sandi of Kagiso Trust pointed out the structural roots of hunger:
“The reason this child is hungry has to do with household income, unemployment, and systemic inequality.”
Dr Marc Aguirre, Country Director at HOPE worldwide, framed hunger as an economic threat.
“Stunting alone is costing South Africa billions of rands annually, impacting GDP by about 10%. Tackling child hunger is not charity — it’s an investment in our future.”
Feeding a Movement, Not Just a Meal
By open-sourcing Add Hope, KFC Africa is setting a precedent for how corporations can address social challenges — not through charity alone, but by empowering others to act.
“This is the first time a major South African company has open-sourced a successful social impact model,” Nel remarked. “We’re not just feeding children anymore; we’re feeding a movement — one that could help end child hunger for good.”
As the world marks World Food Day this October, KFC’s bold step invites governments, businesses, and citizens alike to join in rewriting the recipe for a hunger-free future.