15 Local Brands That We Love
Whether food or fashion, nothing beats trying a local brand for the first time and instantly falling in love with it. If you’re looking for some great and proudly South African local brands and products, here are a few that should be on your radar and in your homes.
Local Village Foods
Local Village Foods specialises in food products, inspired by traditional African ingredients. What makes this local brand unique is its commitment to promoting indigenous African grains and crops – such as sorghum, fonio and millet – which are rich in nutrients. They offer a range of products, including porridges, instant meals, and snacks, all made from these ancient grains. We love that Local Village Foods celebrates the culinary heritage of Africa, supports local farmers and promotes the use of nutritious indigenous grains.
localvillage.africa | Facebook | Instagram
Cream of the Crop Micro Dairy
In today’s culture of mass production, you can’t always count on good quality. The only way to ensure that you’re getting the best product is to go straight to the farmer. Cream of the Crop owner, Maria van Zyl, is encouraging locals to practice conscious eating in an entirely different and sustainable way. Her Committed Value Chain programme allows people to essentially invest in the cows in exchange for dairy products.
Located in Piket-Bo-Berg, the micro-dairy farm also hosts people for various workshops. Some of their most popular products include butter, halloumi, paneer, labneh and double-thick yoghurt, all made from Jersey cows’ cream.
Chommies
It’s not just pet accessories, it’s pet couture! Chommies sell the most beautiful pet products. They believe pets deserve more than just the ordinary, and their commitment to crafting eco-friendly accessories proves just that. From colourful collars to dreamy beds that rival your own, they’ve unleashed a range that’s both chic and kind to the planet. We love their eclectic and vibrant designs, which are not only practical, but look stunning too.
chommies.com | Facebook | Instagram
Two in a Bush Rooibos Cordial
Born in a cosy family kitchen, this brand was started by two besties with zest and zeal. Besides being delicious, what makes Two in a Bush drinks fantastic is that their cordials are infused with local botanicals and fruits. They’ve turned indigenous South African ingredients into liquid gold. Available in flavours like Honeybush, Berry & Buchu, and Peach, none of their drinks contain additives. They’re also ideal for infusing cocktails with!
Cheaky Co.
Cheaky Co. is the coolest kid in the snack lunch bunch. This local brand makes delicious sweet and savoury snacks using chickpeas. They use dry-roasted chickpeas to get that satisfying crunch. What we love about Cheaky’s Orbs and Cheaky’s Chunks, is that instead of biting into a biscuit centre (expected from most chocolate-based commercial snacks) you get a high-protein, chocolate oat m*ilk coated chickpea. Other Cheaky products include Chyps, which is their savoury offering and comes in a variety of tasty flavours like Wasabi & Chives, Black Pepper, and a South African fave, Salt & Vinegar.
cheaky.co.za | Facebook | Instagram
Oh Oat
There are a couple of oat milk brands on the market, but Oh Oat is at the top of the milk alternatives list when it boils down to taste. Started by a cool bunch of young entrepreneurs, Oh Oat is a local oat m*lk brand. Apart from creating a delicious milk alternative that’s good for your health, this brand is committed to encouraging sustainability. When you purchase Oh Oat products online, the cost includes refundable bottle deposits for which you receive a discount code upon return – they even deliver and collect as part of their recycling programme. Oh Oat makes other delicious flavours apart from their standard oat m*lk offering, like vanilla, cocoa, peanut butter and cinnamon.
Honest Chocolate
It doesn’t get any better than Honest Chocolate! To ensure the raw chocolate taste is preserved in their slabs, they only use two main ingredients: organic Tanzanian cacao and a sweetener (unrefined cane sugar/coconut blossom sugar). If you often buy products based on packaging, you’ll adore their slabs. Honest Chocolate’s Artist Range of slabs display stunning and unique illustrations (also available as NFTs) by local South African artists. Their chocolate slabs are available in Toasted Almond, Toasted Coconut, Dark Mylk with Cracked Coffee Beans, and more. Grab a slice of their divine chocolate cake at their café.
honestchocolate.co.za | Facebook | Instagram
ButtaNutT
Why have just peanut butter when you can have ButtaNutt? ButtaNutt has a delicious range of milk alternatives but they’re best known for their tasty nut butter. This proudly South African product is hand-crafted and produced using authentic tree nuts. Their speciality is Macadamia spreads, which makes sense with South Africa being the world’s largest producer of macadamia nuts. Macadamia spread flavours include Pecan, Cinnamon and Cocoa Macadamia. But wait, there’s more… you can expect other interesting spreads like Cashew Pistachio and Honey Almond from this awesome local brand.
buttanut.co.za | Facebook | Instagram
Black Mamba
Most hot sauces know how to bring the fire but not flavour. Black Mamba delivers on both, and they have international Great Taste Awards to prove it. This Eswatini-based company doesn’t believe in nonsense additives, they create their products using fresh and organic produce through collaborating with smallholder chilli and herb farmers. This partnership not only enhances the quality of the product, but also positively impacts job creation within Eswatini rural communities. Their range of products include chilli sauces, pestos, chutneys and jams which are ideal for braais, wings and just about anything.
blackmambachilli.com | Facebook | Instagram
The Cooksister
The Cooksister is the quintessential pantry product. This brand has been concocting unique preserved goods for just over a decade, making your meals more delicious by the spoon. Their range of preserved goods includes relishes, drizzles, marmalades, marinades, mustards and jams. If you’re looking for ways to enhance your dishes and salads, they have interesting flavours like Apple & Brazil Nut Relish, Balsamic Fig & Rosemary Drizzle, as well as Bacon Jam. Avid home cooks will want to get a load of their Chef’s Salt Pots, it’s really handy.
thecooksister.co.za | Facebook | Instagram
Khayelitsha’s Finest Wines
The mastermind behind Khayelitsha’s Finest Wines, Lindile Ndzaba, saw a gap in the local market, with Khayelitsha and surrounding communities not having affordable and quality wines available. Khayelitsha’s Finest Wines started in 2018 and has since made impressive strides in the winemaking industry. Owner and Founder, Ndzaba, got his start in the bartending industry and bottled his knowledge of wine culture to create the beloved brand. You can find Khayelitsha’s Finest Wines at local outlets; they’ve also recently garnered recognition in Brooklyn, New York. Their delicious wine range includes Cape White Blend, Bespoke Red Blend, Petit Verdot Rosé and Cabernet Franc.
Theonista
Founder, Meghan, started this kombucha company based on a ‘gut feeling’. Best known for bringing the kombucha culture to the South African commercial scene, Theonista started as a passion project and soon became a thriving local brand. They have a refreshing range of kombuchas featuring local botanical flavours like Pomegranate & Rooibos, Ginger & Rooibos, Buchu & Honeybush and Cape Point Blend. Other flavours include Turmeric, Ginger & Cayenne; Activated Charcoal & Lemon.
theonista.co.za | Facebook | Instagram
Goofleaf
If you’re health-conscious, then you’ll love Goodleaf. This wellness brand sells a range of CBD-based products from oils to beverages to skincare and snack bars. Their CBD Sparkling Drinks are available in various refreshing botanical and natural fruit flavours like Berry & Hibiscus, Mango & Ginger, Peach & Geranium. Goodleaf drinks contain no more than 10mg CBD and are literally good vibes in a can. Besides drinks, they also sell functional mushrooms and skincare products.
goodleaf.co.za | Facebook | Instagram
Lulu & Marula
Lulu & Marula creates simple and effective skincare. What makes this brand especially great is that their products are paraben/sulfate and oil-free, as well as animal cruelty-free. They have a great range of Balancing Cleansing Balms, Refreshing Tonic Mists and Nourishing Treatment Oils. Plus, they’re eco-friendly and their packaging is recyclable.
luluandmarula.co.za | Facebook | Instagram
Wonki Ware
This local artisanal dinnerware brand has graced the kitchen countertops of celebrity chefs like Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson. Their handmade pottery designs are original, with a variety of unique, colourful and diverse patterns and wonky shapes. Wonki Ware has everything from mugs to beautifully handcrafted bamboo bowls, terracotta bakeware, and other accessories that are perfect for hosting and curating the kitchen of your dreams.
wonkiware.co.za | Facebook | Instagram
Hungry for more? Subscribe to our Newsletter
Related Articles
