Summary

The air fryer concept was launched ten years ago, but its entry into the South African market came about six years ago. Air fryers exploded during the COVID-19 lockdown after many restaurants and take-away outlets were forced to close and people got creative with cooking. South Africans love their deep-fried food, to the point that some suggest it's made the country one of the world’s most obese and unhealthiest. But as cooking oil and electricity prices rise, consumers are buying air fryers for a more cost-effective and health-conscious fried fix. This, together with increasing electricity prices and opportunistic retailers offering discounts and promotions on the products, is driving a renewed surge in the sale of air fryers in South Africa. Air fryers are affordable, quick, and use less oil. Air fryers are popular because they are affordable, don't use as much oil as traditional fryers, and heat food evenly and quickly. These appliances are much healthier than deep fryers and work more rapidly than a standard convection oven.

According to the research report "South Africa Air Fryer Market Overview, 2028," published by Bonafide Research, the market is anticipated to add USD 4.40 million during the forecast period. Based on product distribution into drawer/basket and lid/paddle, basket type dominates the market due to the fact that baskets are gentler with battered and coated foods such as onion rings and home-battered foods, and they also have fewer moving parts so may prove to have a longer life span. On the basis of device type, the market is segmented into digital and manual. Digital air fryers dominated the market. This is due to the rising usage of digital equipment, the increasing demand for automation, and increased awareness regarding health. In terms of distribution channels, the market is divided into online and offline. Online distribution channels are gaining popularity in France due to the convenience and ease of purchasing air fryers online. Air fryers offer an easy way to cook healthy food without losing its taste. As it quickly cooks food, most chefs suggest reducing the cooking or baking time by 20 percent.

The retailer attributes this to "a number of factors, including increasing electricity and cooking oil prices." The supermarket is also tapping into the craze with a recent air fryer promotion, which, combined with their small appliance price-match promise, may also be driving sales. In South Africa, customers choose an air fryer based on family requirements, size capacity, and the number of servings that can be prepared. The most popular air fryer currently is one that is digital and has a 5.5-liter capacity. On average, air fryers use between 1,400 and 1,700 watts of electricity, this translates to between 1.4 and 1.7 kWh per hour of use. The average cost to operate an air fryer will depend on the energy prices and how long you use your air fryer within a month period.

Air fryers are becoming increasingly popular in South Africa as people look for healthier alternatives to deep frying. Air fryers work by circulating hot air around food, resulting in a crispy exterior without all the oil and fat of traditional deep frying. This makes them a healthier option, as well as a more convenient one, as you don’t have to deal with all the mess and hassle of frying in a pan of oil. Air fryer cost in South Africa is the Prices start at around R699 for a basic model, but can go up to R3 000 for a top-of-the-range air fryer.

Considered in this report
• Geography: South Africa
• Historic year: 2017
• Base year: 2022
• Estimated year: 2023
• Forecast year: 2028

Aspects covered in this report
• South Africa Air Fryer market with its value and forecast along with its segments
• Various drivers and challenges
• On-going trends and developments
• Top profiled companies
• Strategic recommendation

By Device Type:
• Manual/ Analog
• Digital/ Electric

By Product Type:
• Basket
• Paddle

By Application:
• Residential
• Commercial

By Distribution Channel:
• Offline
• Online

The approach of the report:
This report consists of a combined approach of primary as well as secondary research. Initially, secondary research was used to get an understanding of the market and listing out the companies that are present in the market. The secondary research consists of third party sources such as press releases, annual report of companies, analysing the government generated reports and databases. After gathering the data from secondary sources primary research was conducted by making telephonic interviews with the leading players about how the market is functioning and then conducted trade calls with dealers and distributors of the market. Post this we have started doing primary calls to consumers by equally segmenting consumers in regional aspects, tier aspects, age group, and gender. Once we have primary data with us we have started verifying the details obtained from secondary sources.

Intended audience
This report can be useful to industry consultants, manufacturers, suppliers, associations & organizations related to Air Fryer industry, government bodies and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies. In addition to marketing & presentations, it will also increase competitive knowledge about the industry.