Tupperware is Back in South Africa – Now as TuppAfrica

For many South Africans, the click of a Tupperware lid is a sound that carries decades of memories – from lunchboxes packed for school to leftovers sealed after Sunday lunch. After disappearing from shelves last year, the iconic storage container brand has staged a return, this time under a new name: TuppAfrica.

From Exit to Revival

The brand’s exit in 2024 was tied to its US parent company filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, a move that forced the Southern African branch into voluntary liquidation. For many locals, it felt like the end of an era. Tupperware had been part of South African households for over 65 years, and the news left a sense of nostalgia and loss.

But the story wasn’t finished. A new licensing agreement has brought the brand back, with entrepreneur Ahmed Bull at the helm as managing director. Through his company Umazinhle – which translates to “containers” – Bull has secured exclusive rights to distribute TuppAfrica products across the continent.

A Fresh Mission for a Familiar Brand

Unlike the past, there will be no local manufacturing. Instead, goods will be imported from global plants in India and Mexico. But the relaunch is about more than just plastic containers.

In only three months, TuppAfrica has already invested more than R26 million into South African communities, including R6 million in incentives for resellers. This echoes the brand’s long history of direct selling, a model that once engaged nearly 100 000 South Africans through word-of-mouth distribution and community networks.

“We are very much aligned with Ubuntu,” Bull explained, emphasising that the new TuppAfrica is committed to creating livelihoods, uplifting communities, and supporting people beyond just sales.

Social Reaction: Nostalgia Meets Optimism

The announcement has stirred plenty of reaction online. Many South Africans have taken to social media to share childhood memories of cupboards filled with brightly coloured containers and mothers or grandmothers attending “Tupperware parties.” Others welcomed the relaunch as a chance for small resellers to earn extra income in a tough economy.

Of course, some questioned whether imported products could still carry the same local connection. But overall, the return has been met with optimism, particularly as the company promises modern designs and eco-friendly solutions to match today’s household needs.

Looking Ahead

TuppAfrica’s challenge will be to balance nostalgia with innovation – keeping the brand’s cultural legacy alive while appealing to a new generation of South Africans. With new catalogues, eco-conscious ranges, and a community-first strategy, the comeback is shaping up to be more than a corporate revival.

For many kitchens across the country, it feels like the brand that helped define household organisation is ready to reclaim its place – just under a new name, and with a renewed sense of purpose.

Source:The South African 

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