Woolworths Taste magazine publisher New Media announced the food publication will stop its print run and embrace the digital future. The move comes after 21 years of gracing Woolworths’ shelves and inspiring home cooks across South Africa.
Taste has published its final bi-monthly print edition, the July/August 2024 issue is a collector’s edition.
“Taste was the product of a visionary client, Woolworths, and a creative powerhouse, New Media, who wanted to create the ‘best food magazine in the world’. And they did. It will always be a triumph,” says editor-in-chief Kate Wilson, in her final editor’s letter.
Unlike other print magazines closing for good, Woolworths remains fully committed to Taste and will increase its investment in its digital strategy. This includes retaining the award-winning team behind Taste’s success and expanding the volume and frequency of content across all channels. Taste will effectively become the voice of Woolworths Foods online.
Elizka Ferreira, head of foods marketing at Woolworths said: “Our commitment to Taste remains unwavering as we step into this digital future. While the print magazine will undoubtedly be missed, our investment in digital content offers exciting opportunities for personalisation, community engagement and the ability to connect with and assist our customers in measurable ways.”
“Taste’s legacy is a great source of pride,” says Wilson. “It was a pioneering product when it launched, a marketing property for Woolworths, but also a highly innovative, creatively independent title rather than a catalogue of product and brand messaging. This positioning gave it instant gravitas. Woolworths trusted the team at New Media to curate the best possible content, and the audience, in turn, trusted Taste’s food authority, enabling it to grow into a truly iconic South African brand. It set the agenda for Woolworths, while inspiring generations to cook and connect through food.”
