Alan

Very few articles go Viral these days without a little push and lots of planning. And yet we still believe whole heartedly that if; “We build it they will come!”

So there you sit – you have published your press release on MyPR and received love from re-publication on other news sites and social media BUT your client is seeking a VIRAL post and the pressure is on.

Here are a number of suggestions to help you get that VIRAL press release that you seek.

First of are some tips to help you craft a compelling pitch (followed by how to target your journalist/publication):

1. Research Journalists: Understand the journalists you are targeting. Read their previous articles to get a sense of their interests and writing style.
2. Know Your Audience: Tailor your pitch to the specific publication and its readership.
3. Craft a Strong Title: Your title/subject line is the first thing journalists will see. Make it concise and engaging to grab their attention immediately.
4. Be Clear and Concise: Who, What, When, Where, Why: Ensure your pitch answers these essential questions right away. Avoid vague statements and get straight to the point.
5. Include Supporting Information: Provide additional context or background information that can help the journalist understand the significance of your news. This could include statistics, quotes, or links to relevant resources. Use MyPR’s boilerplate and (for featured press releases) our facility allowing images, video and hyperlinks to mor info.
6. Proofread Your Pitch: Ensure there are no spelling or grammatical errors. A polished pitch reflects your professionalism and attention to detail.

Pay attention to these tips if you seek a VIRAL release:

1. Timeliness: Does your press release tie into a current trend, seasonal event, or breaking news? For instance: “After the recent axing of the DA’s Andrew Whitfield our HR Professional offers tips of how to avoid that happening to you!”
2. Uniqueness: Is it a fresh take no one else is talking about? Example: “What it is like to be a White MP in the GNU!“
3. Impact: Does your press release affect a large group of people? Who is affected? How many? What’s at stake? Don’t forget to mention this group in your release and then target the pag/e web site/s where your potential audience hangs out.
4. Promote: Go out onto social media and link to all the publications that have featured your press release along with a hashtag and a thank you.

When seeking journalists to re-publish your release try the following – AFTER publishing on MyPR:

1. Write a PERSONAL e-mail to each of your target journalists and include: A link to your press release on MyPR PLUS a link to your body of work on MyPR (all registered users get an author account)
2. Include the entire press release in the body of your e-mail as PLAIN TEXT – this encourages the time starved journalist to copy, paste, edit and republish much faster than a PDF or DOC attachment.
3. Personalise each release with highlights pertinent to that journalist.
4. Avoid mass e-mails, CC or BCC sent e-mails – make the journalist realise that you ONLY want to speak to them.
5. Highlight the Newsworthiness. Explain why your press release is important. What makes it timely, relevant, or unique? Journalists are looking for stories that will engage their readers.
6. Follow Up, But Don’t Be Pushy. If you don’t hear back, it’s okay to send a polite follow-up email after a few days. However, respect their time and avoid being overly persistent.
7. Be Available for Questions. Let journalists know you’re available for any follow-up questions or interviews. Make it easy for them to reach you.
8. Use a Professional Tone. Maintain a professional yet friendly tone in your communication. This helps build rapport and trust.

When pitching stories to journalists, be sure to answer the age-old questions:

1. “Why should I care?”
2. What is in it for me (and my readers)?”

If you can’t answer the above then your pitch probably isn’t relevant or worth their time (or both).

Boilerplate and Editor’s Notes.
More Info on Getting That Press Release Published and Viral here:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MyPE

CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za.

First Published here: https://mypr.co.za/getting-that-press-release-published-and-viral/ – MyPR is a free press release site distributing releases from well known brands, small business and artists to on and off line publications and social media.

Did You Know? Cradock was founded in 1813 on the banks of the Great Fish River to cater for the migratory farmers who settled in this ruggedly beautiful area with its excellent grazing, abundant water and healthy climate.

• Lets Make the Pimps and Dealers responsible for identifying the most addicted and providing a large portion of the money needed to wean people off of their addiction! *

Seems like we humans never learn from our past mistakes and addiction to various products and brands that, after time, are proven to be harmful to our physical and mental well being.

Some industries have matured and rolled withe changing tide to survive and thrive whilst others refuse to learn from these ‘survivors’.

Lets look at a couple of survivor examples:

Cocaine:

The original Coca-Cola drink did contain cocaine, Coca-Cola was invented in the late 19th century by John Stith Pemberton in Atlanta, Georgia. It was initially marketed as a temperance drink and a patent medicine.

The original recipe included an extract from coca leaves, which is where the “Coca” in Coca-Cola comes from. This extract contained cocaine, although the amount was relatively small by today’s standards.

At the time, cocaine was not recognized as a harmful substance, and it was commonly used in various medicinal products. The drink was intended to provide a stimulating effect, thanks to both the coca leaf extract and the caffeine from kola nuts.

By the early 20th century, public perception of cocaine changed, and Coca-Cola began to remove the cocaine from its formula. By 1929, the drink was completely cocaine-free.

This shift was as a result of consumer and government pressure and allowed Coca-Cola to continue, unfortunately another ingredient in Fizzy Drinks came under the spotlight nearly 100 years later – Sugar.

Sugar:

Sugar in fizzy drinks can be quite harmful to your health and could contribute to:

Regular consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is linked to weight gain and obesity. The high calorie content from sugar can lead to an excess intake of calories, contributing to increased body weight.

There is strong evidence that sugary drinks contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes. The high sugar content can lead to insulin resistance, a key factor in the onset of diabetes.

Frequent consumption of sugary drinks is associated with an increased risk of heart disease. Studies have shown that high sugar intake can elevate blood pressure and lead to inflammation, both of which are risk factors for heart issues.

High sugar intake, particularly from fructose, can lead to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which can cause serious liver damage over time.

Sugary drinks can harm your teeth by feeding bacteria in your mouth, which produce acid that erodes tooth enamel, leading to cavities and other dental issues.

There is evidence suggesting that high consumption of sugary beverages may increase the risk of kidney disease, particularly in individuals with existing health issues.

Regular intake of sugar-sweetened beverages can lead to elevated blood pressure, which is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular diseases.

In recognition of the above the South African Government introduced the Health Promotion Levy on sugary beverages. The HPL was legislated through the Rates and Monetary Amounts and Amendment of Revenue Laws Act, 2017 – Act No. 14 of 2017 as published in the Government Gazette on 14 December 2017, with effect from 1 April 2018.

The HPL tax rate is fixed at 2.1 cent per gram of the sugar content that exceeds 4 grams per 100ml. The first 4 grams per 100ml are levy free. The sugar content is calculated on a recognised test report from a testing facility accredited with SANAS or ILAC. In the absence of such a valid test report, a deemed sugar content of 20 grams per 100 ml is assumed.

Once again the fizzy drink manufacturers have bowed to legislation and reduced the sugar content – some quicker than others.

Seat Belts:

If one has a really jaundiced view of the automotive industry then one could say that it is responsible for manufacturing killing machines and is responsible for the loss of many lives – primarily when people do not wear seat belts.

The first country to ‘blink’ and take legislative steps to protect their taxpayers was the United Kingdom when, in 1968, front seat belts became compulsory equipment on all new cars registered in the UK.

It was only in 1984 that New York became the first American state to require vehicle occupants to wear seat belts. This law was known as a primary enforcement law, allowing authorities to stop and ticket drivers solely for not wearing a seat belt.

South Africa first mandated the wearing of seatbelts for front seat occupants in 1977. This initial law made it compulsory for drivers and front-seat passengers to buckle up. Later, in 1987, the law was extended to include all occupants in the vehicle. Furthermore, in 1996, a law was passed requiring rear seat passengers to wear seatbelts as well.

To their good, automotive companies did not embark on advertising campaigns to say that driving without a seat belt was not dangerous, bred real men or other such nonsense – they accepted and upped the game with more safety features – adapted and didn’t die.

BUT

Now let us just take one example of an industry that is sorely in need of some collective curbing, or, as our politicians would say; “Legislation!” and I would say; “Spanking!”

Lets look closer at one example:

TikTok

The impact of TikTok on mental health has been a topic of considerable discussion, and there are both positive and negative aspects to consider. Here’s a summary of the negative contributions that have been highlighted:

Increased Anxiety and Depression: Studies have found that high levels of TikTok use are linked to greater anxiety, depression, and poor sleep quality among young people. The constant comparison to others and the pressure to create engaging content can exacerbate these feelings.

Isolation and Loneliness: While TikTok can connect users, it can also lead to feelings of isolation. Spending excessive time on the app may reduce face-to-face interactions, leading to a sense of loneliness.

Mental Health Content Overload: Research indicates that after spending 5-6 hours on TikTok, nearly 50% of the videos viewed may be related to mental health issues. This can create an overwhelming environment for users, especially if they are already struggling with their mental health.

Emotional Nudges: The app provides an endless stream of emotional content, which can be hard to recognize and may impact users in the long run. This constant exposure can lead to emotional fatigue or desensitization.

Body Image Issues: The platform is known for its focus on aesthetics, which can lead to negative body image perceptions among users, particularly young women. This can contribute to eating disorders and low self-esteem.

And, what are TikTok doing about it?

Like the alcohol industry, the pharmaceutical industry and others – they have created the pain for consumers and are now attempting to own the narrative by engaging with mental health experts.

See: TikTok Unveils Expansion of Global Mental Health Fund for an example.

To my mind the fix needs a vital first step:

TikTok can and must limit the amount of time for each unique session on their platform to a maximum of 30 minutes per day.

There are many creative ways that TikTok can do this whilst preserving ad revenue.

* As a matter of fact all social media should exercise the same rate limiting behaviour and, if necessary, charge people large sums of money for extended access and then use a portion of that money to get that specific person mental help with their addiction.

CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za.

First Published here: https://mypr.co.za/if-you-run-your-business-like-this-then-you-need-to-be-spanked/ – MyPR is a free press release site distributing releases from well known brands, small business and artists to on and off line publications and social media.

Did You Know? Cradock was founded in 1813 on the banks of the Great Fish River to cater for the migratory farmers who settled in this ruggedly beautiful area with its excellent grazing, abundant water and healthy climate.

Most of us have experienced that sinking feeling when we answer the doorbell only to be confronted with the spectacle of a man bearing a clipboard, some rubber gloves, a set of screwdrivers and a pair of pliers.

Often this official from the pit of hell will tell you that he has been sent to check the meter and then when you grant him access he then proceeds to cut your umbilical cord to electricity.

“If you have a tenant on your property who does not settle their electricity account, leaving you with a huge arrears and disconnection then you have a solution – install a Straton Prepaid Electricity Meter just downstream of your credit meter,” says Straton Prepaid.

The NRS 047-1:2022 Guidelines around Electricity Disconnections may also be your saving grace though.

The guidelines around disconnections to electricity supply authorities are as follows:

1. no disconnections shall be effected until at least 14 days after the due date for payment stipulated on the account;
2. commercial and industrial customers shall be given at least 24 hours notice of an impending disconnection;
3. disconnections shall only be carried out up to 2 hours before normal closing time of the payment venue;
4. disconnections shall not be carried out over weekends, public holidays or Fridays (unless normal payment and reconnection facilities are available on Saturday mornings), or on the day before a public holiday; and
5. reconnections shall be effected as promptly as possible and no later than the first working day after the account has been settled satisfactorily and the reconnection fee has been paid.

The target average percentage success is at least 95 %.

Each Supply Authority is also encouraged to adhere to NRS 047-2:2001 and report on disconnections.

The National Rationalised Specifications (NRS) Association of South Africa guidelines outline the duties and conduct required of revenue protection personnel to ensure good revenue protection and, at the same time, maintain good customer relations and an acceptable service level.

These standards, developed by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) and other stakeholders, cover various aspects of electricity supply, including quality of supply, grid interconnection of embedded generation, and high-voltage operating regulations.

Video: Electricity Disconnections – Your Rights

Boilerplate and Editor’s Notes.
More Info on Electricity Disconnections – Your Rights here:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MyPE
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StratonElectrical/

CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za.

First Published here: https://mypr.co.za/electricity-disconnections-your-rights/ – MyPR is a free press release site distributing releases from well known brands, small business and artists to on and off line publications and social media.

Did You Know? Cradock was founded in 1813 on the banks of the Great Fish River to cater for the migratory farmers who settled in this ruggedly beautiful area with its excellent grazing, abundant water and healthy climate.

Here I am using posts created by the WP RSS Aggregator as an example.

This WordPress Plugin will Import and display RSS feeds anywhere on your site. Once you have set up any RSS feed you sit back and let Aggregator do the rest automatically as it creates a constant flow of fresh content to keep your audience engaged.

And, therein lies the rub, sometimes it runs and posts content that could harm your site or make it difficult for search engines to categorise just what your site is about.

AND then you sit with a situation where you will have thousands of posts to delete from your site.

Now the ‘traditional’ way to do so is to go to your WP Admin, select posts by post type and then delete 200 at a time.

You can select more than 200 but that could lead to processing hiccups and when you are trying to delete around 80 000 posts it can take a while.

The quickest way to mass delete posts is to use a MySQL operation on your posts.

You can:

1. Select 500 posts at a time and delete OR
2. You can write a MySQL command to do so

In my case I had a post type (wprss_feed_item) to help uniquely identify the posts I wanted to delete, my table name was a9_posts so the code was relatively simple:

DELETE FROM `a9_posts` WHERE `a9_posts`.`post_type` = ‘wprss_feed_item’;

Want to know how to get to the MySQL section of your web hosting?

1. Go onto your web site hosting control panel.
2. Look for a phpMyAdmin link and sign in
3. Look for your ‘posts’ table and click on it
4. The BROWSE tab will open
5. SELECT the SQL Tab, drop the above code in and press Go

VERY NB: The above method is NOT reversible so if you are not sure then please save a backup of your table BEFORE running the command. To do so you click on the EXPORT tab when you are viewing your POSTS. If you make a boo boo then you can IMPORT your saved file to restore everything.

If all else fails Contact Me for assistance (which is a polite way of saying that you will be charged!).

DON’T FORGET: If you are deleting WPRSS created content you will also need to scroll down to the table named wprss_logs and delete that content as well.

You can more easily delete that content by:

1. Clicking on the wprss_logs table
2. Clicking on the OPERATIONS Tab
3. Scrolling down to the ‘Delete data or table’ option and ‘Empty the table’ if you intent keeping WPRSS running or ‘Delete the table’ if you no longer require WPRSS Aggregator.

Video: MySQL Command To Delete Only Certain WordPress Post Types via phpMyAdmin

CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za.

First Published here: https://mypr.co.za/mysql-command-to-delete-only-certain-wordpress-post-types-via-phpmyadmin/ – MyPR is a free press release site distributing releases from well known brands, small business and artists to on and off line publications and social media.

Did You Know? Cradock was founded in 1813 on the banks of the Great Fish River to cater for the migratory farmers who settled in this ruggedly beautiful area with its excellent grazing, abundant water and healthy climate.

Woodlands Dairy, one of South Africa’s leading dairy producers and the powerhouse behind the First Choice brand, proudly celebrates 30 years of Choosing Good. Founded in 1995 by visionary entrepreneur Lex Gutsche in Humansdorp, Eastern Cape, the company has grown from humble beginnings into the leader in sustainable, responsible, and innovative dairy production, and the region’s largest employer.

Woodlands Dairy was originally established to serve local farmers, many of whom remain trusted suppliers to this day. In the early 2000s, the company expanded into value-added products with the launch of its consumer-facing brand, First Choice. This strategic move transformed the company into a household name, trusted for its quality, innovation, and broad range of dairy offerings.

Over the years, the company has made significant investments in technology, processing capacity, and infrastructure, enabling it to diversify its product portfolio to include UHT milk, cheeses, creams, custards, desserts, and more recently, high-protein options. Today, it serves both national and export markets, while continuously adapting to meet changing consumer demands.

Sustainability has been at the heart of Woodlands Dairy’s growth. The company has earned industry-wide recognition for its leadership in responsible dairy production, pioneering initiatives in water recycling, energy efficiency, waste reduction, and circular economy solutions. Its commitment to environmental stewardship has secured multiple accolades and internationally recognised environmental certifications.

Core Values

According to Woodlands Dairy CEO Helen McDougall, the company is anchored by five core values: integrity, passion, environmental stewardship, inclusivity, and excellence. “These are more than guiding principles,” she explains, “they underpin our culture, shape our decisions, and define how we engage with all our stakeholders.”

Integrity, she says, remains paramount. “We act ethically and transparently in all dealings – from sourcing and production to customer relationships and community engagement. We’re passionate about Woodlands Dairy and our customers. Our teams are highly energised, innovative, and deeply dedicated to delivering on our promises. We take immense pride in offering high-quality, value-adding dairy products.”

Environmental responsibility is another cornerstone. Woodlands Dairy has made significant investments to reduce its environmental footprint, including the implementation of biomass boilers, resource recovery plants, sustainable packaging solutions, and circular economy practices.

Inclusivity and respect are equally central to the company’s ethos. “We embrace inclusivity and respect, both within our workforce and in the communities we serve. We’re committed to being an equal opportunity employer and actively promote diversity and gender equality across all levels of the business,” says McDougall. “We believe in fair representation, fostering a safe and empowering environment for everyone, and ensuring that talent and potential are recognised regardless of gender or background.”

Finally, excellence drives continuous improvement across the organisation. “We hold ourselves to the highest standards of governance, accountability, and continuous improvement. From digitising our new product development process to embedding robust sales and operations planning (S&OP) systems, excellence is woven into the way we operate, innovate, and lead.

“These values are embedded in the fabric of our organisation, guiding decisions from the factory floor to the boardroom, and shaping the way we do business. Responsibly, ethically, and sustainably,” McDougall adds.

Choosing Good

Woodlands Dairy’s Choosing Good philosophy is the guiding force behind every aspect of the business, from ethical sourcing and environmental stewardship to employee wellbeing, corporate culture, and community upliftment. At its heart, it reflects the company’s conviction that responsible business creates lasting value for both people and planet.

“Choosing Good is a deeply embedded philosophy that guides how we source, produce, and engage, always balancing environmental issues, social issues, and corporate governance (ESF),” explains Marisa Maccaferri, Marketing Executive at Woodlands Dairy. “It’s reflected in our rigorous ‘Grass to Glass’ Woodlands Dairy Milk Standard, which ensures ethical farming practices and exceptional milk quality; in our investments in clean energy, packaging circularity, and waste reduction; and in our unwavering commitment to community upliftment, employee wellbeing, and ethical governance. These values are embedded through scorecard-driven KPIs, inclusive leadership approach, and everyday business decisions – from product design to farm partnerships – making Choosing Good a lived culture, not just a slogan.”

Sustainability

Sustainability is deeply woven into Woodlands Dairy’s DNA. Over the years, the company has implemented a series of groundbreaking initiatives that set it apart as an industry leader in responsible dairy production. Among its most notable achievements is the implementation of one of South Africa’s first large-scale water recycling plants in the dairy sector, allowing for the recovery and reuse of process water and significantly reducing freshwater consumption.

Woodlands Dairy has also made significant strides in renewable energy. Solar installations, ongoing energy efficiency projects, and its innovative biomass boiler, which uses plant-based renewable materials to generate steam, have dramatically reduced the company’s reliance on fossil fuels. In packaging, Woodlands Dairy continues to pioneer with bio-based cartons, fully recyclable materials, and the introduction of tethered caps, all helping to lower its carbon footprint while aligning with global circular economy goals.

“Sustainability is not something we do on the side. It’s deeply embedded in our operating model,” explains CEO Helen McDougall. “As one of South Africa’s most progressive dairy producers, we’re proud to be pioneers in sustainable packaging, resource efficiency, and climate-conscious operations.”

The company’s sustainability framework is underpinned by the Woodlands Dairy Milk Standard (WDMS), a robust, independently audited benchmark that governs responsible milk sourcing. The WDMS ensures supplier compliance across key criteria such as animal welfare, milk hygiene, traceability, and employee wellbeing. McDougall notes that the standard is continuously evolving:

Through its integrated approach to sustainability – spanning water stewardship, energy efficiency, packaging innovation, ethical sourcing, and community development – Woodlands Dairy not only meets but often exceeds industry standards. “Our goal is to lead by example, not just within the dairy sector, but across South Africa’s broader agri-processing industry,” McDougall adds.

In its ongoing pursuit of water and energy stewardship, Woodlands Dairy operates a sophisticated resource recovery plant and biomass energy system, both of which help reduce its environmental footprint while driving continuous improvements in operational efficiency.

André Adendorff, Sustainability Manager at Woodlands Dairy, confirms the company’s steadfast commitment to reducing its environmental impact. “We’re proud to report that our total carbon emissions have decreased by 4.7% in 2024, bringing us down to 33,968 tons of CO?e. This marks a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to mitigate climate change. Since our base year of 2012, we have successfully reduced our greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint by an impressive 63.6%. Furthermore, our product carbon footprint per litre of milk for 2024 stands at just 92 grams of CO?e, underscoring our continuous investment in sustainable practices.”

Woodlands Dairy draws on a diversified mix of energy sources, including electricity, diesel, biomass, heavy fuel oil (HFO), biogas, and fugitive gases. Since introducing biomass in 2019, it has steadily grown to become the primary energy source for the facility. In 2024, following the commissioning of a second biomass boiler, biomass now accounts for 71.47% of the company’s total energy consumption, a major step in reducing reliance on fossil fuels and driving down carbon intensity.

In 2024, Woodlands Dairy recorded a 3.38% year-on-year increase in total water consumption. The water usage intensity, measured as litres of water consumed per litre of dairy product produced, experienced a slight uptick, largely due to increased operational demand. According to Sustainability Manager André Adendorff, a key factor behind this trend was a 36% reduction in recycled water volumes, stemming from scheduled maintenance activities at the Resource Recovery Plant (RRP).

“We remain fully committed to enhancing our water stewardship,” says Adendorff. “In 2025, we will implement targeted water efficiency initiatives and infrastructure upgrades aimed at strengthening our circular water use practices and further reinforcing our commitment to responsible environmental management.”

In a further demonstration of its sustainability leadership, the Woodlands Dairy factory achieved major advances in waste management throughout 2024, successfully diverting substantial volumes of waste from landfill through its on-site sorting and recycling programme. The facility introduced a systematic waste segregation process at source, ensuring materials such as Tetra Pak cartons and cardboard were correctly sorted to improve recycling rates and reduce contamination in recyclable waste streams. Notably, zero biowaste was sent to landfill during the year, with 100% of all biowaste responsibly processed and diverted from landfill.

Adendorff adds that Woodlands Dairy’s sustainability efforts are underpinned by strict adherence to globally recognised management systems.

These include:

• ISO 50001 (Energy Management System)
• ISO 14001 (Environmental Management System)
• ISO 45001 (Occupational Health and Safety Management System)
• ISO 22000 (Food Safety Management System)

“These certifications reflect our commitment to operating at the highest international standards across energy, environmental, health, safety, and food safety management,” says Adendorff.

Beyond the factory gates, Woodlands Dairy’s sustainability initiatives extend into both operational and community spheres. Internal projects focus on food waste reduction, general waste minimisation, expanded recycling programmes, and the development of fully recyclable packaging solutions. Externally, the company actively supports municipal waste bin projects, participates in regular street and beach clean-ups, and contributes to local community greening initiatives. It is all part of its broader vision to drive positive environmental and social impact beyond its core business.

Social Development

According to Mandla Charlie, Assistant Brand Manager at the company, Woodlands Dairy’s most impactful and long-standing initiative is their Learnership Programme, which has been running since 2012. “This programme provides young people, particularly from under-resourced and rural communities in the Eastern Cape, with practical workplace experience, skills training, and mentorship. Many of these learners have secured permanent employment, either within Woodlands Dairy or in the broader industry. This initiative plays a key role in empowering youth, reducing unemployment, and strengthening local economies.”

Beyond the Learnership Programme, Woodlands Dairy is deeply invested in education and community upliftment. Through its bursary programme, the company supports students in accessing tertiary education, helping them reach their full academic and professional potential.

“In terms of nutrition support, we regularly donate dairy products to schools, Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres, and feeding schemes to help improve child nutrition and foster healthy development,” Charlie adds. “We also support vulnerable families in the Kouga Region by providing dairy donations to local soup kitchens, helping alleviate hunger and strengthen food security. Our annual school shoe drive ensures children in need have appropriate footwear to attend school with dignity and confidence.

“These sustained efforts reflect our deep-rooted commitment to building stronger, more resilient communities, not only in the Eastern Cape, but across South Africa.”

Leadership

Says McDougall “Leadership is not about titles; it’s about choices. At Woodlands Dairy, Choosing Good for the good of all, is our collective commitment to doing what’s right, even when it’s not the easiest or most immediately profitable path.

“Our executive team has consistently championed long-term sustainability investments, such as the construction and ongoing management of renewable energy infrastructure, including our Resource Recovery and Biomass Boiler plants,” explains McDougall. “These initiatives reflect our commitment to reducing our environmental impact while contributing to energy resilience, despite the significant upfront capital investment and extended ROI timelines involved.”

Leadership also drives this ethos through accountability frameworks, team engagement, and cross-departmental alignment, ensuring Choosing Good is both lived and measured.

The Future

Woodlands Dairy is focused on building a future-fit, resilient business that continues to create shared value.

In the next decade, the company’s ambitions include:

• Regional Expansion: Strengthening its footprint in Southern Africa and expanding its presence in West and East Africa, with additional entry into new African markets already in the pipeline.
• Global Market Reach: Leveraging its world-class manufacturing capabilities and trusted brand to pursue selected opportunities in international markets beyond Africa, with a focus on differentiated, value-added dairy products that meet global health and sustainability trends.
• Category Innovation: Scaling up health-forward and functional dairy ranges, particularly high-protein and sustainability-led offerings, aligned with evolving consumer preferences.
• Sustainability Leadership: Pursuing ambitious environmental and social goals, from carbon reduction and ethical sourcing to packaging innovation and community upliftment.
• Many of these targets, including emissions, packaging circularity, and community development, are transparently outlined in their Sustainability Booklet and annual ESG disclosures.

“Thirty years ago, Woodlands Dairy started with a vision to deliver quality dairy while uplifting local communities and caring for our environment. Today, that commitment is stronger than ever. To our employees – thank you for being the heart of this business. Your resilience, energy, and pride in what we do inspires everything we stand for. To our customers and consumers – thank you for choosing good with us. Every purchase supports local farms, sustainable practices, and a more ethical food system. And to our partners – thank you for building the future of dairy alongside us. Here’s to continuing this journey, together,” McDougall concludes.

Links:

1. Woodlands Dairy – https://www.woodlandsdairy.co.za
2. Grassridge Farm Accommodation – https://web.facebook.com/GrassRidgeAccommodation/

 

Video: 30 Years of Choosing Good

Boilerplate and Editor’s Notes.
More Info on 30 Years of Choosing Good here:
Twitter: https://www.instagram.com/woodlandsdairy_sustainability/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/woodlandsdairySA

CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za.

First Published here: https://mypr.co.za/30-years-of-choosing-good/ – MyPR is a free press release site distributing releases from well known brands, small business and artists to on and off line publications and social media.

Did You Know? Cradock was founded in 1813 on the banks of the Great Fish River to cater for the migratory farmers who settled in this ruggedly beautiful area with its excellent grazing, abundant water and healthy climate.

A long, long time ago (measured in internet seconds) MyPR chose Payfast as their payment processor. High on the reasons for doing so was that Payfast WAS a local company based in Hout Bay, Cape Town and that they supported subscription payments.

We used to use Payfast for Monthly Subscriptions to our Featured Press Release product.

As a result of good service we also deployed Payfast on our Stratlec Online shop as well as a few other client web sites.

As is inevitable Payfast was then sold/merged/pick your term to become “payfast by network” and then our problems started.

Network made one big change by insisting that all merchants use MFA to access their accounts and gave a deadline. As early adopters and rabid promoters of Payfast we made the change immediately. This led to a small problem as our chosen 2 Factor APP only allowed ONE site. So, in January 2025, we asked Payfast to please temporarily remove the MFA from our merchant account whilst we explored other options.

Every new APP we tried failed to connect to Payfast so we were in a bit of a quandary and, of course, when the Payfast MFA deadline hit we found ourselves LOCKED OUT of our merchant account when trying to access via desktop. The Payfast Mobile APP continued working but, with it’s pared down operational ability, we can just see incoming funds and schedule payouts – nothing else.

Our first request for assistance with this was at the end of January 2025.

Since then we have tried to have this solved via their helpdesk and via their ticketing system – at least 32 times and despite promises and assurances still cannot access the Payfast Desktop APP.

So we then began the search for another payment processor.

Our brief was simple:

1. Must have local roots
2. Must support recurring subscriptions
3. Must have a WordPress Plugin to bolt onto Gravity Forms, WooCommerce and MemberPress.

We have deployed Yoco on the Stratlec Online shop as it has very attractive costs and we already have a Yoco machine for Point of Sale. The only problem is that Yoco do not support recurring subscriptions.

So, disappointment over, we then embarked on a search. Our first attempt – Peach Payments – was a bit of a fail as they say that they support recurring but we fail to see that on our dashboard. Also the support seemed to be a little bit on the ‘iffy’ side.

After looking at a myriad others we ‘found’ Paystack – a Nigerian led payment processor with offices in Cape Town, Lagos, San Francisco, Accra, Dubai, Nairobi and Abidjan.

Paystack was founded in 2015 by Shola Akinlade and Ezra Olubi and acquired by Stripe in 2020 for over $200 million.

At the end of the day which Payment Processor MyPR uses is neither here nor there to our subscribers whereas it is very important to us as it is part of the journey people take with us and, as the first step in our client’s journey, it needs to be seamless and painless.

If you have been considering signing up for MyPR’s Featured Press Release service then give Paystack a bash by signing up here: https://mypr.co.za/save-with-myprs-monthly-flat-fee/

Video: Goodbye Payfast, Hello Paystack

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First Published here: https://mypr.co.za/goodbye-payfast-hello-paystack/ – MyPR is a free press release site distributing releases from well known brands, small business and artists to on and off line publications and social media.

Did You Know? Cradock was founded in 1813 on the banks of the Great Fish River to cater for the migratory farmers who settled in this ruggedly beautiful area with its excellent grazing, abundant water and healthy climate.