#HeritageMonth | 100 braais to create Heinz emblem

On 24 September, Heinz will bring South Africans together for a giant communal braai experience, with more than 100 individual braai stands creating the iconic Heinz emblem (Image supplied)

Rather than simply entering the market with a product message, Heinz is using Heritage Day as a platform to build cultural relevance, bringing its heritage, taste and distinctive brand identity to the South African conversation and inviting Mzansi to taste what the braai’s been missing.

The activation will culminate in a giant communal table, followed by a Heritage Day celebration featuring food, music and entertainment.

The idea is rooted in the role food and the braai play in bringing South Africans together.

Rather than telling Mzansi how to braai, Heinz is pulling up a chair and bringing its own taste to the table.

A strong and distinctive food culture

“South Africa has such a strong and distinctive food culture, and the braai is at the heart of how people come together,” says Passant El-Ghannam, CMO Middle East & Africa, Kraft Heinz.

“That is why we chose Heritage Day – to celebrate the culture, traditions and togetherness that make South Africa unique, while finding our own place within it.

“Heinz has more than 150 years of heritage, and we’re bringing that heritage to South Africa.

“Becoming part of a culture starts with listening and showing up. So, we’re pulling up a chair at the fire and inviting Mzansi to taste what they’ve been missing.”

An artist will bring South African heritage to life using Heinz tomato sauce, creating a unique artwork featuring the map of South Africa and symbols that celebrate the country’s rich culture and heritage (Image supplied)

Visual expression of South African heritage

The brand activation extends into a distinctive visual expression of South African heritage.

An artist will create a live artwork using Heinz tomato sauce, featuring the map of South Africa and symbols celebrating the country’s culture and heritage.

From the giant Heinz emblem created by more than 100 braai stands to the communal table and live tomato-sauce artwork, this campaign turns the Heinz brand heritage into a physical and highly visual celebration designed to place the brand directly within Mzansi’s Heritage Day Braai conversation.

Ketchup or tomato sauce? Call it what you like

The campaign also taps into one of South Africa’s enduring food debates.

“South Africa calls it tomato sauce, we call it ketchup. Call it whatever you like,” says Passant.

“We’re not here to change anything about the braai. We just want to bring our taste to the table, and let Mzansi discover what it might have been missing.”

Heinz Braai Day takes place on 24 September 2026 at The River Cabin.

To join the biggest communal braai table, book your tickets on Howler