International websites may have dominated recipe traffic in the past, but Taste.co.za is now officially ranked fifth in the world in the cooking and recipes category, according to SimilarWeb’s latest stats on South African users (February to April 2024). This proves that Woolworths Taste is not only South Africa’s go-to destination for recipes – it is ranked number one among SA websites – but is also a global leader for South Africans looking for food inspiration.
Taste’s success speaks volumes about South African consumer preferences, says Elizka Ferreira, head of foods marketing at Woolworths. “Taste’s current ranking shows that Taste and Woolworths can compete with global websites for local traffic, which is testament to the incredible work the team have done in making Taste’s recipe database so comprehensive and authoritative.”
Taste’s head of digital content, Katharine Pope, adds: “For the past few years we have been working towards a very clear objective with Taste online – to position our recipe content as the best, most comprehensive and most inclusive. We work with a diverse group of SA food authorities – from chefs to home cooks and content creators – so we can really do justice to South African food and be the voice of SA food culture. We curate recipes that reflect communities that have been historically under-represented when it comes to food media, and that has built real engagement and trust.”
The immense potential of the Taste digital audience was first seen during the Covid-19 lockdown when food websites across the world saw their traffic spike. Taste doubled down on its digital offering at that time with content that showed the team as well as other creators cooking at home. In the years that followed, even as traffic normalised across other sites worldwide, Taste’s audience never returned to pre-Covid levels. In fact, the audience has continued to grow year on year as the team continued to show SA food in context – recipes made by those who grew up with that food and want to celebrate it.
According to Google Analytics and platform APIs used to track performance, Taste’s total digital audience grew by 36% year on year, to over 1.1 million users in March 2024. Its social media audience – who engage with TASTE’s videos and links to online recipes – grew by 53% year on year.
This bodes well for Taste’s digital-first strategy, announced in March 2024. Kate Wilson, Taste’s head of content, says: “With Woolworths increasing and consolidating its investment into Taste’s digital growth, the brand can only continue to affirm its position as the leading and most authoritative food resource for all South Africans. It’s incredible that we are now able to engage with such a large audience on a subject we are so passionate about.”
New Media is a world-class digital agency with a reputation for powerful storytelling. Specialising in content marketing, we build emotional connections between brands and their audiences. And thanks to our innovative tech, the compelling content we create is strategic, measurable and has a proven return on investment.
Woolworths is a long-standing New Media client. New Media launched Taste magazine on Woolies’ behalf two decades ago, followed by taste.co.za, social channels and video content (known as TASTETube). The team that produces Taste also creates content and campaigns for Woolworths’ own channels. The Taste brand is positioned to inspire its audience while providing content that is accessible and inclusive, and supporting Woolworths’ positioning as the leading quality food retailer in South Africa.
