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While South Africa’s parliament went up in flames and politicians debated about whether or not an ex-president should be allowed to walk freely, a huge fight has been brewing in the world of flame-grilled chicken.
A fight involving two flame-grilled chicken heavyweights, which some refer to as #chickenwars.
(In Michael Buffer voice) Introducing first, the challenger, in red and white trunks, who has risen through the ranks faster than a politician can hand out T-shirts and food hampers during elections.
With a quarter chicken, chips, and roll at R39,90 and a full bird, large chips, and four rolls at R139,90 - Pedros.
In the other corner, wearing black and red trunks, is a champion that has gone uncontested for decades, with over 1,200 restaurants in 22 countries operating at a profit during the worst economic times.
With a quarter chicken, chips, and roll at R72 and a full bird, large chips, and four rolls at around R250 - Nando’s.
IOL spoke to both establishments about what makes their brand unique and also looked at the opinions of South Africans online, as to which brand is best suited to their budget, not forgetting, which company makes the best chicken.
In the past couple of years, Pedros has noticeably worked at building the brand across the country, with the majority of its operations focused on the KwaZulu-Natal province.
With 117 stores in South Africa and three in Botswana, Pedros’ digital manager Jeremy Atkins, said there are many more in the pipeline.
Given the financial power Nando’s has over Pedros, in light of 1,200 eateries compared to 120, IOL asked Atkins how the company managed to position itself and grow a brand in a market that has been monopolised.
"The market has shifted over the years, and we are perfectly positioned in today’s current economic climate to provide the people exactly what they want: a premium flame-grilled chicken experience that is within budget and delicious at the same time.
"We’re all about enjoying the journey and having fun, but we stick to what we’re good at — great flame-grilled chicken at great prices!" Atkins said, adding that it was the company’s biggest selling point.
By the end of 2024, Atkins said they expect to reach between 160 and 180 stores.
Since opening in 1987, Nando's has been a much-loved meal for South Africans for its unique taste, unmatched by any other flame-grilled chicken establishment (until the challenger arrived).
With their perfectly prepared chicken, chips, and a Portuguese roll that made you look like you were auditioning for a part in Narcos, Nando’s said their success in the ring came as a result of numerous factors, namely a quality product, a unique service style, and effective advertising.
"Consistency drives trust, which is why we make it a priority to ensure that no matter which Nando’s you visit in the country (or abroad), our guests receive a quality product and the exceptional dining experience they deserve.
"We are proud to serve fresh, real, and natural South African sourced ingredients, as more than 99% of our food sold comes from local suppliers," Nando’s said.
But besides the distinct chicken and sauce, Nando's has also stepped out of the food industry to establish itself as a major player in the South African art space, with over 22,000 pieces collected from local contemporary artists.
In many of the Nando's restaurants you visit, this art can be seen on display.
"This isn’t a CSI project at all; it is a shared value investment in art and artists, which appreciates as the artists’ work appreciates as we give them exposure to audiences around the world," Nando’s told IOL.
"We’ve been in the restaurant industry for 36 years, so new entrants into the market aren’t exactly a new thing for us, and we welcome healthy competition."
All company details aside, a food establishment’s success greatly hinges on what the customer has to say about the product and the people who paid the way for these two companies to get to where they are today.
We took a look at the new Pedros advertisement, where it took multiple stabs at other flaming chickens, both grilled and deep fried.
The post racked up around 2,000 comments, which we analysed.
Lufuno Mike Maposa said: "Your chicken is very delicious and affordable and i wish you can open more stores around the country, keep [up] the good work."
Joey Kunji-Behari commented: "Pedros is the best. No competitor can beat Pedros. Please continue doing what you do best. Viva Pedros!," for which Pedros gave him a free meal.
Jarred Gemmell said: "Excellent....agree with everything said. Pedros is fantastic and was much needed".
Mbali Nkosi Nkosi said: "Pedros is affordable and serves delicious food," for which she was given a free meal.
Many of the other comments revolved around the words "great chicken" and "affordable".
IOL looked at one of the most recent posts on Facebook by Nando's that featured the Cabo Sosaties and single chips.
This post had around 50 comments, most of which were negative, forcing Nando’s to respond with a solution.
"I wouldn’t recommend this meal…Nando's, u guys really need to up your game asap," said Shabier Allie.
"Did you’lls chicken go to private school ? Very outrageously expensive," said Teddy Smith.
On July 28, Nando's posted an ad on Facebook about a full chicken and two sides for R269, which racked up 21 comments. These comments were fairly neutral, and revolved around business logistics.
On August 11, another version of the same ad was posted to Facebook, but it got 110 comments.
In this post, South Africans referenced a meal from Pedros, which had the same amount of items but was cheaper.
Many others also agreed with the sentiment that Pedros was better value for money.
Based on the comments of South Africans, it appears that Nando’s has lost some fans, which Pedros won over, but the battle is far from over, despite long-time Nando’s backer Dick Enthoven passing away last year.
Nando’s said it has created a system where its employees are treated well, to say the least, offering them access to private health care for employees and their direct families and paying above government living wages.
"We believe that by looking after our staff, they will take extra care to look after our customers. Because of this, we have one of the lowest labour turnovers in South African retail," Nando's said.
IOL