Culture Craze
A R9,999 Ham? Woolies’ Pricey Prosciutto Gets Roasted by South Africans
Internet loses it over a premium pork leg with a five-figure price
Leave it to Woolies to casually drop a R9,999 price tag on a leg of ham and watch the internet implode. A recent listing for a full 8 kg leg of Prosciutto di Carpegna has sent social media into a spiral of jokes, disbelief, and tongue-in-cheek reviews.
The item in question is no ordinary ham. It’s a meticulously cured Italian pork leg, aged for 20 months and wrapped in tradition. It comes packaged with a wooden base, a carving stand, a slicing knife, and all the bells and whistles to impress your in-laws or host a European-style charcuterie affair. But despite the gourmet credentials, Mzansi’s reaction has been less about culinary appreciation and more about, “Who’s buying this?”
Meat worth more than rent?
South Africans are no strangers to food price hikes, but R9,999 for a single grocery item is the kind of sticker shock that turns an Italian delicacy into a running gag. Online communities, particularly Facebook groups known for their chaotic humour, took this as fresh fodder.
One user joked about needing a new fridge just to store the ham, claiming their “doggos love it as a special treat.” Whether that review was real or just master-level trolling is anyone’s guess, but it captures the collective response: stunned amusement.
Some asked whether it came with a trip to Parma; others wondered if it sang you to sleep at night. On TikTok and X (formerly Twitter), screenshots of the listing made rounds, with captions ranging from “Prosciutto for the ancestors” to “Surely this includes shares in Woolies.”
But is it actually worth that much?
To be fair, this is not your average cold cut. The product carries the DOP (Denominazione d’Origine Protetta) seal, meaning it’s certified and protected under European law. It must be produced, aged, and packaged in the Carpegna region of Italy using centuries-old methods. That includes a traditional blend of lard and spices used to coat the meat and a meticulous 20-month ageing process.
So yes, you’re getting a very serious ham. But for South African shoppers dealing with rising food prices, fluctuating fuel costs, and load-shedding meal plans, R9,999 is a big ask. It may be delicious, but it’s also now infamous.
A gourmet flex or PR gold?
Woolworths is no stranger to luxury items. From R600 artisanal cakes to R1,000 wine bottles, it has long held a premium place in South Africa’s grocery ecosystem. But this prosciutto moment feels different. It’s not just about being fancy; it’s about being meme-worthy.
Whether intentional or not, the listing has become one of Woolies’ most talked-about grocery items this year. And for a brand that often finds itself in the crosshairs of Twitter threads on class divides, the R9,999 ham serves as a quirky case study in modern retail storytelling.
Final slice
Will anyone actually buy this premium pork leg? Probably. South Africa is a country of sharp contrasts. For every person side-eyeing the price tag, there’s another planning a lavish year-end gathering where a hand-carved prosciutto leg is the centrepiece.
In the meantime, Woolies may have just cured more than meat. They cured our timeline boredom.
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Source: The South African
Featured Image: Wine Dharma
