When it comes to supporting our own, South Africans go all out in terms of loyalty.
With many of our country’s most-loved brands having been around for over 50 years, if not already 100, it suffices to say that they’re an intrinsic part of our shared experiences as Saffas. They are the brands that have found a way into our households, now fully embedded within our nation’s heritage.
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In fact, according to the 2017 benchmark TGI survey conducted by Ask Afrika, the top five overall winners in the coveted list of ‘Icon Brands’ loved and trusted by South Africans included Kiwi, Coca-Cola, Sunlight, Maggi and Koo.
But did you know that contrary to what we’ve always thought, three of these five brands are not even South African brands?
So, in light of this shocking discovery. We’ve done a bit of deep diving and found a whole bunch of South African heritage-level brands…that aren’t actually ours:
Marmite
Whether you love it or hate it, you probably never thought that anyone outside of South African dipped a finger or two in the iconic Marmite jar, let alone invented it.
Turns out that the legendary, controversial toast topping was invented by Justus von Liebig, a German scientist and agricultural chemist, in the late 19th century. While Marmite was discovered around 1680, the Marmite Food Company was founded in England and launched its production and packaging in 1902.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, a shortage of Marmite left many supermarket shelves and subsequently sent many South Africans into a panic. Two years later, the legendary savoury spread returned, ‘new and UNimproved’.
Marie Biscuits
A staple in the pantry, the biscuit cupboard or at the tea station, Marie Biscuits are known across the country for being a tea and coffee dipper’s go-to, a toddler’s delight and a sweet tooth’s emergency craving satisfier.
While its South African producer, Bakers Limited, is indeed a proudly local brand, the story of the iconic Blue Label Marie Biscuits has roots further from home.
In 1874, British rusk manufacturer Peek Frean seized an opportunity presented by the upcoming marriage of Britain’s Prince Alfred to Russian princess Maria Alexandrovna. Peek Frean launched the Maria biscuit in honour of the event, decorating the edge of the biscuits with a Greek key pattern (popular in Russia at the time) and stamping ‘Maria’ in the middle.
Maria biscuits soon became Marie biscuits after garnering a great deal of popularity, subsequently spreading to India, Australia and, of course, South Africa. So much so that we’ve claimed it as our own.
Wimpy
Perhaps one of the more shocking discoveries is that Wimpy is not as South African as we always thought. The brightly-coloured red booths of our childhood and the family’s go-to weekend brekkie and burger spot only found its home in South Africa in the 1967.
A fun fact, as per BusinessTech, Wimpy was one of the first affordable Western fast-food chains to enter the South African market.
Wimpy was founded in America’s Bloomington, Indiana, in 1934 by Eddie Gold. It was initially named after the fictional ‘J. Wellington Wimpy’, who loved burgers, from the Popeye comic strip before being renamed Wimpy Grills.
Knorr’s Aromat
One might argue that Aromat is, in fact, sprinkled onto our national DNA, an all-purpose spice for a diverse people that holds many purposes. Some families pass heirlooms across generations; others pass recipes incomplete without the finishing touches of an Aromat essence.
Most families grow up with the bright red and yellow shaker in the spice cupboard, standing proudly amid our national spices peri-peri, braai spice, curry powder and bay leaves.
But this proudly South African spice is not South African at all. The much-loved seasoning is owned by German food company, Knorr, and hails from Switzerland. It was introduced to the world by Walter Obrist in 1952, and South Africa took to it faster than the Blitzboks in a Sevens game.
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Carling Black Label
Carling Black Label, dubbed ‘the beer of the South African working man’, has sponsored Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates’ traditional pre-season friendly since 2011. Two of South Africa’s best-supported local clubs playing one of the land’s favourite sports, sponsored by one of the country’s favourite beers.
Black Label was actually developed by Canadian Thomas Carling in Ontario in 1840. Originally known as Black & White Lager, it was rebranded in the 1920s. Thank goodness for that.
South African Breweries only began brewing Black Label in the 1960s after buying the rights to brew it here. It has since become a popular fixture in many a music video, pubs, and sports matches, too. So perhaps it’s understandable why the heritage line became so blurred – or non-existent, really.
Sunlight
Sunlight soap has been cleaning our dishes, clothing stains, underwear and everything else that can be cleaned in a bucket or ‘zinc’ of warm water for over 100 years.
And if not the soap, Sunlight dishwashing liquid, with its distinct colour and fragrance, has become such a South African icon that our mothers refer to any dishwashing liquid as Sunlightwhether it’s a no-name brand or the real deal.
However, recognised as the first packaged soap, Sunlight was founded in late Victorian England by William Hesketh Lever in 1885 during the country’s era of poverty, overcrowding and ill health. The soap was introduced to South Africa in 1891, and the rest is history.
It’s become such a ubiquitous part of South African daily lives that some have even said the green in the South African flag represents the classic green of Sunlight soap.
Maggi
Maggi 2-minute noodles: It’s the taste of childhood days. When we got home ‘starving’ after school, Maggi was always there to greet us. When we drove past McDonalds and our parents said, ‘No, there’s food at home,’ Maggi is what they were talking about.
It turns out that Maggi was the brainchild of Swiss pasta extraordinaire Julius Maggi, which was later acquired by Swiss-owned Nestlé, who would bestow the mighty noodle upon South Africa.
Since then, South Africa and Maggi had pretty much become like the handshake emoji: a seamless agreement. From the packaging to the flavour sachets, Maggi 2-minute noodles were such an instant hit that it became part of our vernacular.
And in true South African style, we’ve certainly made it our own. Using Julia Maggi’s legacy to celebrate our own heritage with flavours like Durban Curry and Boerewors.
Zam-Buk
It somehow seems ridiculous to say. Zam-Buk, South Africa’s favourite Jack-of-all-trades, the real makoya, is not South African at all.
Doubling up as a multipurpose balm and antiseptic ointment, Zam-Buk was actually first formulated in England in 1902 by the Zam-Buk Company of Leeds, founded by Charles Edward Fulford. While there is a slight suggestion of an unknown link with South Africa regarding the name, that’s where any SA origin begins and ends.
And yet, there’s still no denying that the best of Vicks and Vaseline in one tiny tin will forever hold a place in the heart of every South African child, teenager, parent and grandparent for years to come. The balm, with its signature smell and long-lasting ingredients, can soothe anything – regardless of where it comes from.
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Picture: Chris Lawton / Unsplash
