South Africans Spending Billions More on Health, Wellness as Prevention Gains Ground

South Africa’s health and wellness market is on track to grow from US$27.9 billion in 2025 to US$42.5 billion by 2034, according to IMARC Group research. That figure, representing a compound annual growth rate of 4.56% between 2026 and 2034, reflects something more than a market trend. It signals a fundamental shift in how South Africans think about preventative healthcare, nutrition, fitness and natural wellness.

For entrepreneurs and small businesses across the country, that shift is opening real doors. Sectors ranging from organic food and beverages to natural personal care, sustainable packaging and renewable energy solutions are all drawing new entrants. Consumers are actively seeking alternatives to conventional products, and small enterprises are moving to meet them.

The Organic & Natural Products Expo Africa, held at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg from 7 to 9 August 2026, has become the primary gathering point where those opportunities take concrete shape. Since its launch in Johannesburg in 2022, the expo has grown steadily, drawing increasing numbers of entrepreneurs, manufacturers and buyers from South Africa and beyond. It now functions as a critical route-to-market platform for businesses seeking new customers, partnerships and export pathways.

Warren Hickinbotham, Co-Founder of the expo, frames the event’s purpose plainly. “The continued expansion of the sector is creating opportunities for entrepreneurs operating across organic food and beverages, natural personal care, wellness products, sustainable packaging, renewable energy solutions and other environmentally conscious industries,” he says.

Standard Bank is the headline sponsor of the Johannesburg edition and will take part in discussions on market access, business capability and opportunity identification in fast-growing sectors. Deenash Pillay, Head of Small Enterprises at Standard Bank Business and Commercial Banking, points to the pace of change on the consumer side. “As consumer preferences evolve, we are seeing growing demand for products that support healthier lifestyles and more sustainable patterns of consumption,” Pillay says. “The growth of the Johannesburg edition of the Organic & Natural Products Expo Africa mirrors the momentum we are seeing across the sector itself. More businesses are entering the market, consumers are seeking healthier and more sustainable alternatives, and buyers are increasingly looking for innovative products that meet these needs.”

Small businesses remain central to economic activity, innovation and job creation in South Africa. The health and wellness wave is giving entrepreneurs a new pathway to scale, and Pillay is direct about what he sees from those already in the sector. “The businesses participating in this sector are demonstrating remarkable innovation and resilience. From organic producers and natural wellness brands to sustainable product manufacturers, entrepreneurs are responding to changing consumer expectations while building businesses that contribute to economic growth and job creation.”

The Johannesburg event will bring together a broader mix of participants: entrepreneurs, practitioners, policymakers and industry leaders exploring opportunities across the organic and natural products ecosystem. The conference programme will cover funding, export support, retail market access and brand building.

Whether the sector’s growth rate holds through the decade, and how many of the small businesses entering it today survive long enough to benefit, remains the open question hanging over an otherwise buoyant market.