Ina Paarman – In South African Kitchens for a Lifetime

For more than four decades, Ina Paarman has been a trusted presence in South African homes. She has been there as young girls joined their mothers in baking, later as students making their first simple suppers, and still later as women balancing careers, marriage, and children. Through every stage of life, there has always been an Ina Paarman staple in the kitchen.

Her journey began in 1982, in a converted garage, with a small cookery school and a handful of students. Without a budget for advertising, her sons delivered flyers by bicycle, and soon the warmth of Ina’s teaching and the aromas from her kitchen spread across the neighbourhood. From those humble beginnings grew Paarman Foods, a brand that today exports to 32 countries yet remains deeply rooted in South African households.

Ina’s philosophy has never wavered: convenience must never come at the cost of quality. In the Paarman Foods factory, vegetables are still slow‑roasted in wood‑burning ovens, stocks are made the traditional way, and ingredients are hand‑sorted; proof that care and time‑honoured methods matter.

Every product carries her personal touch. Ina famously tested her first chocolate cake mix 120 times before declaring it ready. “When people bake, they want to feel proud of the result. A cake that doesn’t turn out can be disheartening. I wanted cakes that would be rich, moist for days, and reliable every time,” she recalls. That commitment to getting it right continues to define the brand today.

This winter, the Paarman kitchen speaks directly to the way South Africans live through the colder months: retreating, recharging, and sharing meals that bring warmth. With Ready to Serve Soups like Beef & Lentil and Country Chicken, wholesome Stocks, creamy Pasta Sauces, and Cook‑In Curry Sauces from Butter Chicken to Durban Curry, Ina Paarman makes it easy to prepare meals that feel like a hug at the table; in fact, millions of South Africans have been bracing, and embracing the chilly season, sharing their home-warming kitchen moments during what’s been dubbed, the #hibernationseason with Ina Paarman’s range.

From student suppers to family feasts, Ina Paarman’s kitchen continues to be part of South Africans’ most meaningful moments. And as always, her promise remains the same: food made with care, to bring people together.

For more information: https://paarman.co.za