Latest news with #EbonyandIvory
IOL News
12-06-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Sweet goodbye: Iconic SA chocolate faces an uncertain future
Beacon chocolates face an uncertain future as Tiger Brands considers selling the brand. Image: YouTube For those of us who buy reasonably priced chocolates on a whim — a slab at the till, or a 3-for-2 when the kids are eyeing something sweet — Beacon chocolates have long been a household favourite. From the creamy Ebony and Ivory, or my personal favourite - Heavenly Melk Tert - to the nostalgic appeal of a Nosh bar or the classic crunchy TV Bar, these local treats have offered a slice of South African comfort for generations. But now, change is on the horizon, as one of the country's best-known chocolate brands may be disappearing from shelves. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Tiger Brands, one of South Africa's leading food producers, has announced plans to sell its Beacon chocolate range. The beloved brand, established nearly a century ago, includes favourites such as the TV Bar, Nosh, chocolate-and-marshmallow Easter eggs, and a range of chocolate slabs — including popular flavours like Ebony and Ivory. The company confirmed that while no final decision has been made yet, it is actively exploring options to sell the chocolate category. "We will continue delivering on the strategic turnaround of the business until such time as an appropriate exit mechanism has been identified," CFO Thushen Govender told News24. Tiger Brands CEO Tjaart Kruger acknowledged the challenges facing the chocolate division in an interview with News24. He admitted that the group had "probably fallen behind in technology," explaining that they had not upgraded their chocolate-making equipment in 30 years. According to him, the investment required to modernise the facility is now too high to justify. However, he believes the Beacon brand still holds potential and In the hands of the right person, the Beacon chocolate brand can be a good business. Kruger also noted the difficulty in competing with more dominant chocolate brands, saying, "We price against Cadbury like R4 or R5 a slab cheaper and still don't get the volumes." Despite the uncertain future of Beacon chocolates, Tiger Brands has reassured consumers that other favourites in its sweets portfolio — including Jelly Tots, Maynards Wine Gums, Fizzer, Marshmallows, and Liquorice All Sorts as well as the Jungle Oats Bar is also unaffected by the changes. While no timelines have been confirmed, Tiger Brands has indicated it will continue producing Beacon chocolates until a suitable buyer or alternative strategy is in place. For loyal fans of the brand, it's an unsettling moment — one that may soon turn our spontaneous chocolate purchases into treasured memories. IOL Lifestyle
1News
09-06-2025
- Health
- 1News
'A good man': Stu Wilson remembered by Tauranga Hospital colleague
Former All Black Stu Wilson has been remembered as a good friend and a hard worker by a former colleague at Tauranga Hospital. It was confirmed today the former captain and winger died peacefully in his sleep over the weekend aged 70. Regional team leader Bruce Raynel told 1News Wilson joined the Tauranga Hospital orderly team in 2021 following a stint in the hospital related to his heart. "Stuey, fair dinkum, he wanted a job. He wanted to pay back to some of the heart specialists that saved his life and he thought the best way to do it was to become an orderly," said Raynel. "We were a bit hesitant to start with because an All Black, in a hospital, people are going to get to know him so he's going to get delayed from bringing jobs back and we're going to be wondering where he is. But old Stuey, he was good. ADVERTISEMENT "He would stop and have a quick chat with people, but he'd also say 'no I've got to get to my next job'." Stu Wilson and Bay of Plenty District Health Board orderly service regional team leader Bruce Raynel in 2021. (Source: Supplied) Wilson was 'good value' Raynel described Wilson, who finished up at the hospital late last year, as a good orderly who did what was asked of him, without question and "got on and did the job that he had to do". "He was good value, and he mixed with everybody. Staff, patients and especially the guys in the lodge." Rarnel said it was "pretty special" to have hired an All Black. Wilson controversially retired from rugby while still in his prime after co-authoring the book Ebony and Ivory alongside fellow winger Bernie Fraser, which went against rugby's governing rules at the time. ADVERTISEMENT "One of the staff actually said they had the book Ebony and Ivory that him and Bernie Fraser put together. And this person didn't have their book signed, and I had one that wasn't signed as well. And Stuey said, 'well bring them in and I'll send them to Bernie and get him to autograph them for you'." Little did the staff know Fraser was based in Perth at the time and Wilson had the books sent all the way there to be signed. Stu Wilson (left) and Bruce Raynel (right) outside Tauranga Hospital. (Source: Supplied) "It was pretty hard case. Nah he was a good man alright. Good fun having him around." Donuts, coffee and anecdotes Raynel shared some other warm memories and personal quirks of Wilson's, including his love of donuts and good quality coffee. "He's called back a few times for a coffee and a donut. Donuts was his thing. He'd buy donuts on his way home for work. He'd buy three. One for himself on the way home, one for when he got home so one for his wife and one for him.' ADVERTISEMENT Raynel said he was particular about his coffee and had his own plunger. "Stu said at the interview that it wasn't about the money or things like that, he just wanted to give back to an environment that helped him along the way and gave him a few extra years to live after the cardiac problem he had." Raynel said there were many people who recognised him for his All Black fame - staff and patients alike. "He didn't want a leadership role with us, because the only time he was ever the leader of the All Blacks, they lost," he laughed.
Otago Daily Times
08-06-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
All Blacks great dies
Stu Wilson in action against the South of Scotland in 1983. Former All Blacks great Stu Wilson has died at the age of 70. Wilson was regarded as one of the world's finest attacking players during his heyday with the All Blacks in the early 1980s, finishing his career with 19 test tries - a record for the All Blacks at the time. The blond-haired flyer played 85 matches for New Zealand, including 34 tests, while his first-class career comprised 199 first class games, mostly built up during nine years of service on the right wing for Wellington. He forged a lethal combination with fellow Wellington and test winger Bernie Fraser, and the pair went on to co-write a book Ebony and Ivory, which was published in 1984. Wilson signed off on his All Blacks career a year before that, when he was captain of the tour squad that played tests against England and Scotland in the UK. He was captain in all eight matches on that tour. He went on to become a radio and television commentator, known for injecting humour into his match analysis. Born in Gore, Wilson was a student at Wairarapa College in Masterton before joining the Old Boys club in Wellington. Big for a winger at the time, Wilson stood 1.83m and weighed 86kg when he first toured with the All Blacks to Argentina in 1976. He was only the 12th man in NZ Rugby history to score more than 100 first-class tries - 104 - many of them bringing the crowd to their feet with his speed and classic outside swerve. He was also proficient at capitalising on opposition mistakes, and made it a trademark to toe ahead a loose ball before diving on it to score. Among his most famous displays was a hat-trick of tries against the British Isles at Eden Park in 1983. He achieved a hat-trick on the same ground against Scotland two years earlier. His retirement in 1984 - while he was still in his prime - was sparked by controversy over the Ebony and Ivory book. Under International Rugby Board rules, players were not allowed to accept book royalties, something Wilson believed was unfair. At the time, many players had adopted various subterfuges to get around this.
