He launched his self-formulated and developed food range at the beginning of the year after first building a niche following via appointed agents. The retail breakthrough comes hard on the heels of its success at last year's Good Food & Wine Show when the new brand won the Product of the Year award.
Consumer response has been positive, especially for the 'Diet in a Box' convenience product that makes low-carb living easy.
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Van der Merwe says public response is so positive; the company has to expand its production capacity. He came to public prominence after slimming down from 169.2 kg to 92 kg. To do it, he created his own low-carb eating plan.
This inspired his development of low-carb breads, using whole groundnuts, linseed and oats rather than traditional bread mixes. His bread then became the basis for an entire food range designed to encourage better health and weight management by cutting carbs.
Professor Tim Noakes, South Africa's foremost sports scientist, (who recently lost a substantial amount of weight himself following a low carb diet) endorses the concept of low-carb eating plans for those who are carbohydrate-intolerant.
However, Deon van der Merwe says his range is not just for sports-people and runners but for anyone who is eager to look and feel better. That is why breads and pastas - traditionally forbidden on old-style low-carb diets - have a central place in the Low Carb SA range.
"Most South Africans love bread and pasta and find it easier to adopt a low-carb lifestyle when they don't have to give them up," he explains.
"Convenience foods are often a big part of the problem for overweight people - I know because they were for me. Therefore, we decided to make it very convenient to eat our foods by featuring established food favourites and packaging pre-prepared offerings in our 'Diet in a Box'.
"Consumers don't need superhuman willpower. They can enjoy their food while shedding excess weight." And, even more importantly, improve their health at the same time.
A recent survey identifies South Africa as one of the world's fattest countries, with 61% overweight or obese (the US figure is only 2% higher). A study by Imperial College, London, indicating that up to three-quarters of South African women may be overweight and there is rising health concerns around diabetes.
The brand is available from selected Spars, a growing number of pharmacies, Sandwich Baron, appointed agents and the Low Carb SA offices in Northriding, Randburg.
For more information, go to www.lowcarbsa.co.za.
