In a statement, Lenford said the love and support of the cider created pressure on demand and supply. Picture: Supplied.
There has been a shortage of supply of alcoholic cider Savanna in the country, according to the cider's marketing manager Eugene Lenford .
In a statement, Lenford said the love and support of the cider created pressure on demand and supply.
"The enormous love and support from South Africans resulted in a situation where the brand has doubled in size in the last twelve months, creating significant pressure on demand and supply," Lenford said.
This comes after some social media users had posted that it was getting difficult to buy the cider. Others even posted a sign from a retailer in Durban stating that the cider would be scarce for about six months.
"Some fans have been noticing their brand selling out fast and missing from fridges and shelves in their search for their favourite cider," according to Lenford.
“We want to start by apologising and reassuring South Africans that millions of litres of your favourite cider is still being produced each week and allocated to local retailers to make sure that you do not miss your favourite crisp and dry cider over the festive season. We are sorry for the low stock levels in stores, but we are trying to keep up with you. We have seen exponential growth over the last year, and we are working around the clock on solutions to produce and deliver more ice-cold crisp Savanna to customers and consumers across the country,” he said.
According to Lenford, the global glass shortage is further impacted by shipping delays as the pandemic has left some suppliers and producers on the back foot in the last twelve months.
"The demand for Savanna's range of premium ciders has exceeded supply for an extended period. The premium cider producer is investing in additional capacity and some short, medium and long-term solutions to remedy this with glass and other suppliers to avoid future shortages," he said.
Lenford said the cider would be available throughout the festive season in greater volumes than previous years.
"We urge South Africans to be patient and are encouraged not to buy in bulk (remember what toilet paper taught us – leave some Savanna for others, please!) and to continue to only consume alcohol safely and responsibly. If anyone has any questions or requires any more information, our social media platforms will be sharing updates and news”, he said.
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