Ever bought a loaf of bread, stopped and wondered how it’s made? I certainly did. It is not just baking anymore, but food tech at an impressive scale. I’ve learned that, behind that seemingly simple loaf of bread, lies a sophisticated network of automation, sensors, robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), and data systems. This insight deepened for me during a recent visit to the PepsiCo Sasko factory in Shakaskraal, Durban.
A legacy of nourishment: PepsiCo and Sasko
PepsiCo, founded in 1898 and headquartered in the United States, is a global powerhouse in food and beverages. The company manufactures, markets, and distributes a vast array of products, from snacks to their iconic carbonated soft drinks like Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, and Pepsi Max. In a R24.4-billion deal in 2020, PepsiCo acquired South Africa’s Pioneer Foods, bringing beloved local brands such as Sasko, White Star, Weet-Bix, and Liqui-Fruit under its umbrella.
Sasko, an iconic baking brand, has been a household name since 1930, renowned for its quality flour and fresh bread. The company’s comprehensive bread strategy is designed to meet significant demand in South Africa, The Shakaskraal site contributes to a national output of 600 million loaves annually. Their extensive product range includes white, brown, and whole wheat bread, along with specialty low GI options.
As much as 50% of their wheat is imported due to local cultivation limitations. The factory utilises five dedicated moulds for bakery production across 13 strategically located bakeries in South Africa, some of which are specialised design plants for specific bread categories. A key challenge they meticulously address is ensuring a six-day shelf life for their products, so that everything looks fresh.
Quality and safety are paramount to Sasko’s operations.
“We’ve got very stringent safety and quality standards, and we have to benchmark with the best out there,” said Cornel Vermeulen, GM of bakeries at PepsiCo SA. The company adheres to international safety standards and undergoes independent audits by certified audit companies AIB and IBL.
Sasko’s commitment contributes to a remarkably low complaint rate of 0.34 per million units sold.
“We have an independent consumer care line that operates in terms of customer complaints,” said Vermeulen. The platform ensures that every concern is addressed promptly and fairly. The service is an accessible channel for consumers to share feedback, report issues, or seek assistance with any of their products.
“We want to provide an affordable loaf of bread that’s safe for our consumers to eat,” he said. The company’s dedication to quality is further supported by their bespoke recipe development and careful monthly wheat selection.
Vilosha Shoni, chief marketing officer of PepsiCo South Africa, said: “For us, a bakery is the heart of the community. We don’t just make bread. We make livelihoods. We make possibilities come to life.”
Sasko’s distribution network facilitates direct store deliveries, servicing around 40,000 customers daily and covering 4-million kilometers monthly through nationwide independent distribution contracts.
Investing in growth and community
The company has approximately 6,000 employees across South Africa, and 780 working in the Shakaskraal facility.
“We’ve got approximately 6,000 people working in our baking business across South Africa,” said Vermeulen.
Ultimately, Sasko’s “People who care make things better” slogan highlights that the dedication of their employees differentiates their bread production. Their overarching goal is clear: “We want to provide an affordable loaf that’s safe for our consumers to eat,” he said.
During the media tour of the Shakaskraal facility, we also visited Glenhill Primary School as part of Sasko’s Siyasizana initiative.The tour highlighted the “Play Better” campaign, which underscoring the brand’s commitment to enabling access to safe, quality play spaces for children across South Africa.
It was a gentle reminder that the company’s impact reaches far beyond the factory floor. As I walked through the school grounds, the playground pulsed with life, bursts of laughter, and shouted rules from kids mid-play. For a moment, I just stood there, soaking in it, overwhelmed by the simplicity of it all, and by how deeply familiar it felt.
My childhood memories were also triggered during the visit by seeing Sasko Sam, the mascot, and how excited kids were to see him dancing.The energy was electric, and watching the kids respond to Sasko Sam with the same joy I once felt made it all come full circle. It reminded me of the power of symbols, of how memories attach themselves to the smallest things: a Sasko logo, a jingle, a dance.
Through the Play Better programme, Sasko Siyasizana promotes positive play to help children’s physical, emotional, and social development, fight bullying, and establish safe environments.
“We’ve been investing in grassroots community development, and Siyasizana has evolved over a long period of time,” said Shoni.
“We have to say that Sasko enables the mental, physical and emotional well being of our children, because this is what we get after our playgrounds with the children playing in safe spaces.
“We need to keep them safe, and we need to keep them engaged and growing from gross motor skills and fine motor skills and a place in which they can engage fully and with assistance.”
Children begin to develop interpersonal skills and learn how to relate to others. But, more importantly, Sasko is dedicated to nurture their growth in meaningful ways beyond only bread.
More than a bakery experience
I didn’t think much of it when I was invited to visit the bread factory. I thought, “It’s just bread. How interesting could it be?” But as soon as I stepped through those big metal doors, I realised I had no idea what really goes into something so simple as bread.
The first thing that hits you is the smell. Not just “bread” but layers of warm dough, toasted crust, and that slightly sweet aroma of something freshly baked. It honestly made me feel hungry within seconds. Big machines whirring, dough mixers spinning, conveyor belts squeaking. People and AI robots in motion, and all worked in perfect rhythm, a testament to efficiency.
Nhlakanipho Zinyanga, Sasko Shakaskraal plant operations manager, was our informative and knowledgeable tour guide for the day. We first visited the mixing area, where we saw giant stainless steel bowls spinning gallons of dough. Then came the shaping stage, where automated machines cut and rolled the dough into perfect little round shapes and rolls.
But the ovens… That was my favorite part. The smell, the long tunnel ovens where trays of raw dough slowly traveled through heat and came out golden brown at the other end. You could literally see the transformation, soft pale dough going in, fully baked loaves rolling out like magic.
Vermeulen said: “That means that we’ve looked at the ingredients, we put the specifications, we looked at our equipment, we protected our processes, we’ve trained our people.”
His words reflected a deep commitment to excellence at every level of the operation. From carefully selecting raw materials to ensuring the machinery meets strict standards, every detail has been considered. Processes were safeguarded, and staff were equipped with the skills and training needed to maintain consistency and quality.
Said Vilosha: “When we bake bread, it’s the same level of excellence every single day.”
The factory’s automated dosing systems used in the bread-making process measure ingredients like flour, yeast, water, salt, and sugar to the gram, using AI sensors and weight control systems. There’s no guesswork; everything is measured and calibrated to ensure consistency in the bread’s quality. Modern mixers are fitted with AI-driven sensors that adjust speed and time based on the dough’s elasticity and texture.
I saw tunnel ovens that have programmable heat zones and sensors that monitor crust color, internal temperature, and baking time. Once baked, the bread moves through automated cooling tunnels (to avoid sogginess) and into robotic packaging lines. Zinyanga said: “From the cooling system it takes an hour. It takes about three hours to make bread from start up until the end.”
The AI in factory machines is able to track production speed, energy usage, quality checks, and even predict maintenance needs for machines. Even after baking, the technology tracks where each loaf is going and can trace every loaf back to the exact batch it came from and the time it was baked. This demonstrates Sasko’s commitment to tech-forward manufacturing lines focused on consistency, quality, and safety.
Sasko’s commitment to a sustainable future
The factory’s environmental commitment begins with a bold vision of sustainability, targeting 100% renewable energy reliance by 2030. Their innovative approach includes the implementation of biomass boilers that are 97% more efficient than traditional coal systems, complemented by solar solutions and rigorous energy audits. The technologies ensure minimal waste and maximum operational efficiency, demonstrating a proactive stance in reducing carbon footprint.
Water conservation is another critical pillar of PepsiCo’s environmental strategy. Since 2024, the company has achieved a water net positive status, meaning they replenish more water than they consume. Their initiatives include sophisticated water harvesting techniques, river catchment restoration, and removing alien invasive plants that disrupt local ecosystems.
Vermeulen said: “South Africa, since 2024 replenishes more water than what we consume in our processes or in our factories.”
By supporting local community schools and planting indigenous vegetation, they’re not just conserving water but actively improving environmental health.
“So a big part of what we do is about sustainability, and also in the bakery business, it’s also about sustainability. It’s all about how we responsibly use our resources in our environment.”
The company has also introduced a “ReCon” programme, said Vermeulen.
“ReCon stands for resource conservation that touches on water consumption, energy consumption, and waste and diversity, currently sitting at a 74% ordered labour for that internal process.”
The internal sustainability program has already achieved a 74% labour alignment, integrating environmental consciousness into their corporate culture.
“So we do a lot in that space, we do water harvesting. We wash our vehicles with that water, and increase recycling processes.”
By making sustainability a key performance indicator across all business units, the company ensures that environmental responsibility is not only a department’s job, but also a company-wide commitment. Through multifaceted efforts, PepsiCo demonstrates that environmental sustainability can be seamlessly integrated into business operations, creating positive impacts for both the company and the broader community.
Beyond the loaf: Shaping lives and nurturing futures
I’ve learned that bread is not merely made. It’s built, cared for, and timed to perfection. As I left the factory, the scent of freshly baked bread still lingering in my senses, I carried with me a new respect for something I had always taken for granted. Bread is more than a staple; it can be a symbol of care, community, innovation, and resilience.
*Angelique Mogotlane is content manager of Gadget.co.za, World Wide Worx. Follow her on Bluesky on @angelique31.bsky.social.