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Chakalaka

Welcome to Chakalaka Brands

June 27, 2022

Chakalaka is more than a savory, appetizing food. It is about friendship, being with loved ones, and the joy of being together. In kitchens around the world, people gather to cook, share stories, laugh, and be together. In fact, Chakalaka is the Zulu word for “all together,” which makes this dish more than delicious food to eat. It is meant to enjoy together.

Oddly enough, despite my family being from Southern Africa, I had never heard of this unique, wonderful dish. It wasn’t until I was on vacation with my wife and her family in South Africa that we came across this incredible food.

While we were on safari, it was first served to us with a traditional English breakfast. Eggs, toast, and Chakalaka. What was this dish, we all wondered? Upon our first bite, we were astonished at how delicious it tasted. We inquired and were educated about this wonderful food.

Chakalaka is steeped in South African culture. A mouthwatering blend of beans, vegetables, and spices, it is a common companion to many meals in South Africa. Originating in South African townships, mineworkers cooked cans of beans, tomatoes, and chili and then combined them for a hearty, spicy meal.

While the mineworkers ate this dish “all together,” Chakalaka was born. It became a popular meal and word spread throughout South Africa. Everyone started to make this dish and enjoy it together at meal times. While there are variations of the dish, the staples remain the same: beans, vegetables, and spices.

Throughout our trip, we enjoyed devouring Chakalaka at a variety of stops, and we were treated to many different homemade versions allowing us to savor the variations. Not only were our palates satisfied, but our souls were also filled with laughter, conversation, and togetherness as we enjoyed this incredible dish.

After returning from our trip to South Africa, we were so in love with Chakalaka and what it represented, that we began cooking it regularly for friends and family. They too fell in love with the sublime flavors of Chakalaka. What ensued were countless meals with friends and family brought together by this amazing South African dish.

That is what we love most about Chakalaka, and cooking in general, is how it brings people together. Across the globe families and friends gather around their tables to break bread together, laugh, talk, and enjoy the pleasure of being together while eating incredible food.

Many of these meals are also flooded with conversations about the meal. What is this? This is amazing! Can I have your recipe? This is the best [insert food here] I’ve ever had. And so on.

South Africa and Chakalaka are no different. Bringing this South African dish to the states and sharing it with our friends and family created deeper bonds. Chakalaka is more than a delightful dish to enjoy at every meal, it is about togetherness, human bonds of love, and the timeless, universal act of eating together.

So, we decided to share this wonderful dish with the world, and www.chakalakabrands.com was born! Having experienced many variations of Chakalaka, our brand is our unique homemade version derived from our many meals savoring Chakalaka. We couldn’t keep this marvelous dish to just our circle of friends and family. It needed to be shared so that other groups of friends, families, and loved ones can experience Chakalaka.

We know that you will enjoy this flavorful dish as much as we have. More importantly, sharing Chakalaka with your loved ones and being together around the table enjoying appetizing meals brings about laughter, closeness, and ultimately, unforgettable memories.

Welcome to our family and our community, we’re glad you’re here.