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FAQ: Knorr “Brown Onion Gravy” Recall

Unilever, Knorr Masterbrand

Date: 16 July 2024

What is being recalled and why?

  • Knorr, one of Unilever’s food brands in South Africa, has recently discovered that a small batch of Knorr “Brown Onion Gravy” packets mistakenly contain the ingredients of the Knorr “Professional Brown Sauce Base.” As a result, the affected stock contains cow’s milk and soy as allergens, which are not declared on the list of ingredients in the Knorr “Brown Onion Gravy” packaging.
  • The safety and well-being of Knorr’s consumers is of the utmost importance, and the brand has taken immediate action to rectify the situation.

Which products are affected by the recall?

  • Knorr “Brown Onion Gravy”packet/s marked BB 11 DEC 2025 KM 4163 E14A or BB 12 DEC 2025 KM 4164 E14A.
  • Knorr requests consumers who have purchased any packets of the “Brown Onion Gravy”packet/s with above mentioned best before dates, to not consume or dispose of them, and return the products to the nearest retailer for a refund.

Are there any other Unilever or Knorr products affected by this recall?

Beyond Knorr’s “Brown Onion Gravy” packet/s marked with BB 11 DEC 2025 KM 4163 E14A or BB 12 DEC 2025, there are no other Unilever or Knorr products affected by this recall.

What if I bought the product from my local spaza shop?

  • If you have purchased Knorr’s “Brown Onion Gravy” packet/s within any of the affected areas, marked with BB 11 DEC 2025 KM 4163 E14A or BB 12 DEC 2025, please contact the Unilever South Africa Consumer Careline on 0860 331 441or WhatsApp 067 429 7040 alternatively you can email Unilever at Consumer.affairs-ZA@unilever.com.

How do I identify if my purchased product has been affected?

  • Affected products will be marked BB 11 DEC 2025 KM 4163 E14A or BB 12 DEC 2025 KM 4164 E14A and they have the best before date matching the two identified batch numbers.

What should I do if I have a product that is affected?

  • If you have purchased Knorr’s“Brown Onion Gravy” packet marked BB 11 DEC 2025 KM 4163 E14A or BB 12 DEC 2025 KM 4164 E14A, please do not consume or dispose of it. 
  • Return the products to the nearest retailer for a refund or contact the Unilever South Africa Consumer Careline on 0860 331 441 or WhatsApp 067 429 7040 alternatively you can email Unilever at Consumer.affairs-ZA@unilever.com.

Can I use the product if I don’t have allergies to cow’s milk and/or soy?

  • Please rather return the products to the nearest retailer for a refund or contact the Unilever South Africa Consumer Careline on 0860 331 441 or WhatsApp 067 429 7040 alternatively you can email Unilever at Consumer.affairs-ZA@unilever.com.

How do I get a reimbursement?

  • Once a consumer returns the affected Knorr’s “Brown Onion Gravy” packets to the nearest retailer, they will be reimbursed immediately, following confirmation of the affected product.

What immediate action has the brand taken to rectify the situation?

  • When the recent findings came to the Unilever Knorr team’s attention, Unilever immediately ceased production and made the necessary adjustments to rectify the situation.
  • The adjustments included isolating the product within the factory as well as recalling it 

What measures has the brand taken to ensure this does not happen again?

  • Unilever has implemented controlled measures at the factory to isolate the affected product and ensure no further dissemination occurs to suppliers and consumers.
  • Unilever is also implementing strict quality control measures and conducting a review of the manufacturing processes to avert future occurrences.

Who can I contact with questions?

  • For any further queries, consumers can kindly contact Unilever South Africa Consumer Careline on 0860 331 441 or WhatsApp 067 429 7040 alternatively you can email Unilever at Consumer.affairs-ZA@unilever.com.