Johannesburg. 28 October 2025. The annual Albany Kota Festival, now in its third year, has grown into a landmark township economy event, attracting more than 15 000 festival goers and creating over 2 000 jobs in local communities through the growing number of participating vendors.
Since taking up title sponsorship in 2023, Albany has helped transform the festival into a significant economic platform for township entrepreneurs. Today, more than 85 small businesses, the most to date, leverage the event to expand their reach, contributing to the growth and vibrancy of the informal economy. This initiative aligns with Tiger Brands’ strategic objective to strengthen its presence in the informal sector, expanding its product base across more than 130 000 outlets, including spaza stores, midi and mini-wholesalers, and superettes, over the next five years.
The Albany Kota Festival is the first of its kind in South Africa beginning with a handful of vendors and festival goers, it attracted more than 15 000 people to the FNB Stadium in Soweto this year.
"We are greatly encouraged by the strong support for the festival and the tangible benefits it is delivering to local entrepreneurs and their small businesses. We are confident in its continued growth and in the festival’s role in proving that the informal sector is a powerful force in our economy,” says Lorraine De Graaff, Marketing Director: Bakeries.
Beyond job creation and market access, Tiger Brands is also investing in sustainability. Through its Enterprise and Supplier Development programme, the company has provided business skills training to both the organisers of the Kota Festival Tour and the participating vendors. This training is designed to build business acumen, empowering those operating in the informal market to grow into profitable and sustainable enterprises.
Albany’s partnership has also supported the festival’s expansion beyond Gauteng into Mpumalanga, the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, with additional provinces set to join from next year.
The growth is not only strengthening township economies but also giving consumers greater access to some of South Africa’s most iconic heritage brands, while delivering enhanced and innovative food experiences.
“Cross-collaboration with other brands in the Tiger Brands stable allows us to enrich the taste experience for consumers attending the festival,” adds Lorraine De Graaff, Marketing Director: Bakeries.
All Gold Tomato Sauce, synonymous with the kota, showcased its full flavour range at this year’s event. “Our legacy continues to grow, not just through taste and quality, but through the lives we touch. For more than 100 years, All Gold has been enjoyed by South Africans and beyond our borders—because no kota is complete without the taste of All Gold,” Angel Musoni, Marketing Director: Culinary.
For the first time this year, OROS joined the line-up. “OROS is proud to partner with the Johannesburg Kota Festival for the very first time. As South Africa’s favourite meal partner for generations, OROS has long shared a special bond with the kota—both rooted in community, flavour, and fun. This partnership is a natural fit and an exciting opportunity to celebrate a culture that brings people together over food and refreshment,” Kyle Carson, Marketing Director: Snacks, Treats and Beverages.