Sunlight Celebrates 135 Years by Giving Back to South African Communities

The iconic Sunlight Green Bar launches Raised by the Bar, a new national platform celebrating heritage while supporting communities and entrepreneurs

Sunlight Raised by the Bar is celebrating 135 years in South African homes by giving back to the communities that have helped build the iconic Sunlight Green Bar legacy. The new national platform brings together shared heritage, storytelling, practical support for entrepreneurs and opportunities for local talent across five South African regions.

The brand has launched Raised by the Bar, a new national platform that celebrates shared heritage while bringing practical support, storytelling and community experiences to people across five South African regions.

The initiative officially launched in Durban, marking the beginning of a nationwide journey that will continue through Mthatha, Johannesburg, Mbombela and Polokwane.

More than 135 years of shared memories

For generations of South Africans, Sunlight Green Bar has been a familiar part of everyday life.

Its history has been shaped by the families, households and communities that have passed the product from one generation to another. With Raised by the Bar, the brand is turning that shared history into an opportunity to celebrate the people and places that have formed part of its journey.

The campaign will travel across the country in the Raised by the Bar truck, creating opportunities for communities to come together, share stories and celebrate traditions that have helped shape local identities.

Along the way, the platform will also provide practical support to entrepreneurs and local community members.

Durban launches the journey

The campaign came to life in one of Durban’s most recognisable centres of community and commerce — the taxi rank.

Taxi ranks are often seen simply as places where commuters begin and end their journeys, but they are also important economic spaces.

They are places where small businesses operate, traders earn a living, conversations unfold and communities connect every day.

By launching Raised by the Bar in this environment, Sunlight placed the campaign in a space that reflects the rhythm of everyday South African life.

The Durban activation brought together local traders, community members and performers, while creating a platform for storytelling and shared experiences.

Supporting local entrepreneurs

At the heart of Raised by the Bar is a focus on practical support.

As the campaign travels through the five regions, local entrepreneurs will be given opportunities to engage with the initiative while performers will also have a platform to showcase their talent.

The campaign recognises that many communities are built through the everyday efforts of people creating opportunities for themselves and others.

Just as Sunlight Green Bar has been passed between generations, many South African businesses and community spaces are built through the same kind of continuity.

Families, neighbours and entrepreneurs work over time to create livelihoods, support households and build a sense of belonging.

Celebrating South Africa’s community stories

Storytelling will form an important part of the national journey.

Community members will be invited to share memories, traditions and personal stories connected to the places where they live.

Each stop on the Raised by the Bar journey is expected to add another chapter to what the campaign describes as a living archive of South African experiences.

From the people who have used Sunlight Green Bar in their homes for decades to entrepreneurs building businesses today, the initiative aims to celebrate the connection between heritage and everyday community life.

From Durban to the rest of the country

Following its launch in Durban, the Raised by the Bar journey will continue through:

• Mthatha
• Johannesburg
• Mbombela
• Polokwane

Each region will bring its own stories, traditions and community experiences to the national platform.

The initiative is designed to reflect the diversity of South African communities while highlighting the shared experiences that connect generations.

A legacy shaped by people

Sunlight Green Bar’s 135-year milestone is ultimately being used as a moment to look beyond the product itself.

Raised by the Bar places the focus on the communities that have formed part of the brand’s story and the people who continue to shape South Africa’s social and economic landscape.

For Sunlight, the campaign represents a way of celebrating a long-standing relationship with South Africans while creating opportunities for communities to be seen, heard and supported.

As the Raised by the Bar truck continues its journey across South Africa, each destination will add its own contribution to a growing story of heritage, entrepreneurship, talent and community.

After 135 years, Sunlight Green Bar is celebrating the past — while investing in the people and communities shaping what comes next.