As consumer pressure intensifies and South Africa’s retail landscape rapidly evolves, Tiger Brands is preparing for its next phase of growth under incoming Chief Marketing Officer Lorraine De Graaff, who officially assumes the role on 1 March 2026.
With digital acceleration reshaping shopper journeys and retail channels becoming increasingly complex, De Graaff’s mandate is clear: safeguard the company’s iconic brands while driving sharper commercial impact. Ahead of her start date, she outlines her strategic priorities for the first 12–18 months — balancing heritage with innovation and embedding evidence-based marketing at the core of decision-making.
Adapting to South Africa’s Retail Landscape
South African consumers remain under financial strain, and shifts in shopping behaviour continue to reshape competition across categories.
“My initial focus will be understanding where the growth opportunities sit across the portfolio and working closely with our Business Unit marketing teams to prioritise the ones that matter most,” she says.
The priority will be relevance and stronger in-market execution, ensuring that marketing investment delivers measurable commercial returns. Alongside this, De Graaff is focused on building internal capability.
“It’s about building a more connected and capable marketing community that continues to raise the bar on skills and impact. Ultimately, we have to keep the consumer at the centre of everything we do — and execute consistently.”
Protecting Heritage While Driving Innovation
Tiger Brands oversees some of South Africa’s most recognisable household names, including Koo, Jungle Oats, All Gold and Black Cat — brands embedded in daily routines for generations.
“Our brands are some of our biggest assets, built over decades in South African homes. We feel a strong responsibility to protect that legacy while ensuring they remain relevant for the future,” she explains.
Maintaining that balance requires evolution without dilution — whether through new pack formats, affordability strategies, product innovation or refreshed communication.
“Brands can’t stand still. We will protect what works but continue strengthening them for the long term, especially for younger and increasingly value-conscious consumers.”
Evidence-Based Marketing and Smarter Analytics
Data and analytics will play a central role in shaping the company’s future strategies.
“Data helps us cut through opinion and focus on what truly moves the needle,” De Graaff says, noting that the business is investing significantly in digital and technology capabilities.
Her approach is firmly rooted in evidence-based marketing — combining proven principles with real-time data from multiple sources to guide brand building, penetration growth and capital allocation.
“Technology allows us to become more predictive and less reactive. Over time, I want us to spot patterns earlier and respond with greater speed. It should also simplify processes, improve measurement and free teams to focus on higher-value work.”
Retail Media and Omnichannel Consistency
With e-commerce, on-demand delivery and retail media networks gaining traction, the lines between brand and trade marketing are increasingly blurred.
“Our brands must show up consistently, regardless of channel,” she says. “We can’t ignore the growth of online FMCG and the influence of digital environments on purchase decisions.”
That means extending traditional availability and visibility principles to the digital shelf — optimising search, presence and retail media partnerships to ensure brands remain easy to find and easy to choose.
“Success increasingly depends on omnichannel consistency — both in-store and online.”
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Aligning Marketing, Innovation and Commercial Execution
Holding the dual role of CMO and strategy lead, De Graaff views alignment as a competitive edge.
“Innovation only works if it solves a real consumer need and grows the category,” she notes. “It must add value, increase penetration and strengthen the core — not just shift volume around.”
Marketing’s responsibility is to surface meaningful insights, while commercial teams ensure effective execution in market.
“We need shared priorities, shared metrics and processes that enable speed rather than slow it down. Even the best idea will fail if it isn’t executed properly.”
Looking Ahead
For De Graaff, the opportunity extends beyond performance metrics.
“I’m looking forward to working alongside exceptional teams across the organisation. Tiger Brands has incredible marketing, R&D and commercial talent. We’re custodians of brands that matter in people’s daily lives. Helping take them forward, responsibly, is something I care deeply about.”
As Tiger Brands navigates a complex and competitive retail environment, its direction is clear: disciplined growth, sharper execution and marketing that is as commercially accountable as it is creatively strong.
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