According to BusinessTech, Pick n Pay has entered an exclusive partnership with international doughnut brand Dots Original to bring the brand to South Africa. The partnership will see a curated range of 11 doughnut varieties, including topped, filled and pop-style dots, stocked in roughly 150 Pick n Pay outlets across the country.
The Dots brand is owned by Europastry, a global bakery specialist that supplies breads, pastries, cakes and doughnuts in more than 80 markets. Pick n Pay said the collaboration is part of its strategy to keep its product ranges fresh and relevant, and to give shoppers more choice. The retailer added that additional flavours could be introduced as it learns more about South African taste preferences.
For a retailer, an exclusive deal with a recognised international brand creates a point-of-sale differentiator that can draw foot traffic and increase basket size. The move also puts Pick n Pay in direct competition with established doughnut players such as Krispy Kreme and the in-store offerings of other grocery chains. Small-scale bakers and independent cafés may feel the pressure of a well-funded global brand entering the market, but the partnership also signals consumer appetite for premium, novelty baked goods, a trend that could create niche opportunities for local producers willing to innovate.
Taste test results
BusinessTech put the new Dots doughnuts to a blind taste test alongside products from Krispy Kreme, Woolworths and other retailers. A panel of 20 staff members scored each of the 24 doughnuts on a ten-point scale. Across all categories, Dots emerged as the clear winner. The Tricolour doughnut achieved the highest average score of 7.35, followed by Dots Dark Deco at 6.54, Dots Nutty at 6.41 and Dots Pink and White at 6.27. Woolworths’ Double Chocolate doughnut placed fifth with a score of 6.09.
Contrary to expectations, Krispy Kreme did not dominate the rankings. Its chocolate-filled doughnut scored only 2.57, while the standard glazed variety performed around the middle of the pack. Pick n Pay’s own custard-filled doughnut was the lowest-scoring product at 2.35.
The test also highlighted polarising flavours. Dots’ Yellow Frutti doughnut, described as having an “artificial” banana taste, split the panel, one tester gave it the top score while others rated it the brand’s lowest at 3.89. The Dots Lemon doughnut produced mixed reactions, ending up second-lowest for the brand with a respectable 5.21.
Pick n Pay’s statement that Dots’ “distinctive flavours, toppings and formats are difficult to replicate in a traditional in-store bakery” is supported by the taste-test outcomes, which show that the brand’s unique product mix resonated more strongly with the panel than the more familiar offerings from competitors.
From a business perspective, the exclusive rollout gives Pick n Pay a short-term promotional hook and a longer-term platform to experiment with international flavour trends. For other retailers, the results serve as a reminder that brand heritage alone does not guarantee consumer preference, product quality and novelty remain decisive factors.
Small-scale food entrepreneurs can take two lessons from the launch. First, partnering with a larger brand can provide access to distribution networks that would otherwise be out of reach. Second, differentiation through unique flavours or formats can create a competitive edge even in a crowded market. Whether a local bakery can replicate the success of Dots will depend on its ability to innovate while keeping costs manageable.
Pick n Pay plans to monitor customer response and may expand the range beyond the initial 11 varieties. The retailer’s broader strategy of refreshing its assortment aligns with a post-pandemic consumer shift toward indulgent, experience-driven food purchases.
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Pick n Pay’s statement that “as we learn more about what South African customers enjoy, we can introduce new varieties while continuing to introduce international flavour trends to our stores” hints at a phased expansion plan, with the current 11-item line acting as a testbed before additional flavours are rolled out later in the year, subject to sales data and consumer feedback collected at the roughly 150 outlets currently carrying the range.
The Dots brand’s global reach, anchored by its parent company’s presence in more than 80 countries, means that the supply chain for the South African rollout relies on established production facilities abroad, with finished doughnuts shipped to Pick n Pay distribution centres before being allocated to each participating store, a process that typically spans several weeks from order to shelf.
In the blind taste test, a panel of 20 staff members evaluated 24 doughnuts on a ten-point scale, assigning scores that produced an average of 7.35 for the Tricolour variety and 2.35 for Pick n Pay’s own custard-filled offering; this methodology, involving direct sampling and scoring without brand identification, ensures that the results reflect pure flavour preference rather than brand bias.
Following the initial launch, Pick n Pay will monitor the performance of each of the 11 Dots doughnut types, using point-of-sale data to gauge which formats, topped, filled or pop-style, drive the highest basket growth, and will then decide whether to extend the exclusive arrangement, adjust inventory levels, or introduce further international flavours based on the observed consumer response.
