From time immemorial, humans have always been conjuring nature to secure adequate food for survival. Demand for food and climate change have sparked an innovative hype among producers, governments, academics and the public, given that getting food is an extremely basic and persistent need. Southern Africa has experienced a massive dietary shift where the consumption of locally produced beverages as Kombucha, Tamarind, Kambucha, Amarula (Sclerocarya birrea), Mauyu (Adansonia digitata L) juice and Masawu (Ziziphus mauritiana) juice has increased more than carbonated soft drinks like Fanta, Coca-Cola and Pepsi, among others. The chapter interrogates food systems in two Southern African countries, namely Zimbabwe and Zambia, to disentangle certain practices which demean, discriminate, and obliterate the innovative potential of local producers. Food systems are both a ‘victim’ and ‘culprit’ of human intervention. As a victim, food systems are being manipulated by people, whilst as a culprit, food systems are the source of problems people are grappling with worldwide. Our analysis is guided and informed by Disruptive Innovation Theory (henceforth DIT). Under this approach, we view innovation as a learning process where firms, individuals, institutions, and countries are learners. To this end, the process of innovation involves social, cultural and political changes.