Pick n Pay and Lamb Champs: Family Farmers Break into Retail

In a groundbreaking move for local farmers, Pick n Pay and the Southern African Agri-Initiative (Saai) have partnered not only to sponsor the Lamb Champs competition but also, for the first time, to offer farmers the opportunity to sell their meat directly in Pick n Pay stores. This development provides an unprecedented opportunity for family farmers to offer their lamb meat directly to consumers, with a special in-house brand highlighting the origin and quality of their products.

From Competition to Retail Shelves

Lamb Champs has quickly grown into one of South Africa’s premier meat competitions, with hundreds of farmers participating annually to deliver the best lamb meat in the country. Thanks to the partnership with Pick n Pay, top-performing producers can now sell their meat in a growing number of stores across the country. This means that consumers are increasingly gaining access to some of the country's best lamb meat, directly from local family farmers, while farmers secure a more stable and sustainable market for their products.

“We are excited about this new step,” says Francois Rossouw, CEO of Saai. “By giving Lamb Champs farmers a direct link to consumers, we are not only expanding their market access but also increasing consumer awareness of the quality and origin of our local lamb meat. This is about more than just branding – it’s a story of family farming, hard work, and dedication.”

Exclusive Brand for Lamb Champs Meat

Pick n Pay will introduce a special range of lamb meat, branded with the Lamb Champs logo, which will be integrated into stores and packaging. This step ensures that consumers can clearly see where their meat comes from and provides a unique opportunity to support local farming.

“This initiative is a major step forward for us and for local farmers,” says Dallas Langman, Managing Executive of Pick n Pay’s retail division. “We know that our customers want the best quality meat, and with this partnership, we are bringing them exactly that – directly from the best producers in the country.”

Lamb Champs 2025: The Road to Success

The Lamb Champs competition for 2025 promises to be bigger and better than ever, with a series of national and provincial events celebrating South Africa’s rich meat heritage. This year’s competition again provides a platform for farmers to showcase their products and earn the chance to feature in Pick n Pay stores.

The highlights of the 2025 Lamb Champs events include:

• Pretoria – Loftus Versfeld Stadium | 26 July 2025 | 100 Spits
• Parys – Parys AfriDome | 13 September 2025 | 50 Spits
• Durbanville – TBC | 27 September 2025 | 50 Spits
• Nampo Alfa – Nampo Grounds, Bothaville | 18 October 2025 | 3 Spits (only the winners from Pretoria, Parys, and Durbanville)

Each event is a celebration of quality, tradition, and the hard work that farmers put into their products. The final event at Nampo Alfa will host only the top winners from the previous competitions, meaning that only the best of the best will compete here.

The Future of Local Lamb Meat

The partnership between Pick n Pay and Lamb Champs is a major milestone for local farming in South Africa. It provides family farmers with the support and exposure they need to expand their businesses while ensuring that consumers have access to top-quality meat directly from the farm to the store shelves.

For more information, visit www.lambchamps.co.za and stay updated on how local farmers are transforming the South African meat market.