Our Thaba Nchu factory has been pressing, casting, coating, and packing cookware in the same Selosesha industrial area since 1977. It's not a marketing office, not a repackaging warehouse, not an import-assembly site. It is a real working manufacturing facility employing more than 400 South Africans.
Botshabelo and Thaba Nchu — about 50 km east of Bloemfontein — has been a Free State industrial corridor since the 1980s. Our factory is one of the longest-running cookware operations in Southern Africa. The factory floor runs continuously across two shifts to meet retail and wholesale demand.
| Company | Big5 Cookware (Pty) Ltd |
| Founded | 1977 (48 years of continuous manufacturing) |
| Factory address | Stand 21 Selosesha Industrial Area, Thaba Nchu, Free State, South Africa 9785 |
| VAT number | 4700229497 |
| Employees | 400+ full-time at the Thaba Nchu plant |
| Production volume | ~50,000 pieces per day · ~1 million pieces per year |
| Materials | 99.9% pure aluminium, cast iron, marble-coated non-stick, vitreous enamel-on-steel, stainless steel |
| Office hours | Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Tel | +27 51-874-1300 |
| 060 6999 888 | |
| service@big5cookware.co.za · supplier@big5cookware.co.za (wholesale) |
Big5 Cookware does not run a single brand strategy. We manufacture six distinct brands at the Thaba Nchu factory:
| Brand | Category | What It's For |
|---|---|---|
| Bon Voyage | Aluminium pots, cast iron potjies | Daily pap, samp, stew, breyani |
| Tiger | Marble-coated non-stick | Modern kitchen, induction-compatible, gift quality |
| Big5 Outdoor | Braai & outdoor | Kettle braais, cast iron, camping kit |
| La Cocina | Enamelled cast iron | Premium gift, Le Creuset alternative |
| Zebra | Aluminium volume | Catering pot range — restaurants, lodges, B&Bs |
| New World Enamel | Enamelware tableware | Mugs, plates, bowls, basins — classic SA enamel |
One brand can't be everything. A pot for a R150 daily-use sale and a pot for a R1,500 wedding-gift sale are sold differently, photographed differently, sit on different shelves in different stores. By running six brands under one factory, each brand can have one promise instead of trying to please everyone — and the factory benefits from the volume across all six.
The cost of operating a real factory is what makes our prices fair: no shipping containers from China, no European brand markup, no celebrity endorsement budget. You pay for the metal and the craftsmanship.
| Channel | Best For | How to Order |
|---|---|---|
| Factory Shop walk-in | Trade buyers, wholesale sample collection | Visit Stand 21 Selosesha Industrial Area, Thaba Nchu during office hours |
| Wholesale Order | Retailers, restaurants, B2B | Email supplier@big5cookware.co.za with business name + VAT + product list |
| WhatsApp / Phone | Quick quote, urgent stock | WhatsApp 060 6999 888 · Tel +27 51-874-1300 |
Online: big5cookware.co.za · Takealot
Retail stores: Pick n Pay · Checkers · Makro · select Shoprite
Wholesale: Africa Cash & Carry network + all major regional cash-and-carry wholesalers across all 9 provinces
Where is the Big5 Cookware factory? Stand 21 Selosesha Industrial Area, Thaba Nchu, Free State 9785.
How long has Big5 Cookware been operating? Since 1977 — 48 years.
How many pieces does the factory produce? ~50,000 per day, ~1 million per year.
How many brands? Six: Bon Voyage, Tiger, Big5 Outdoor, La Cocina, Zebra, New World Enamel.
Can I visit the factory? Yes — Factory Shop walk-in during office hours. For wholesale samples or trade tours, contact supplier@big5cookware.co.za in advance.
Are Big5 products exported? Yes — across the African continent. VAT-registered (4700229497), SADC network active.
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Lovely cutlery set. Recommended 100%
the don't burn food easy to wash.price is affordable
Excellent quality and easy to install. The castors are incredibly big and strong, 2 have brakes. Perfectly to place my counter top braai on, and the gas cylinder underneath. As elegant as the picture.
It doesn't burn my food, I love the product, I can recommend it to anyone
