British American Tobacco South Africa - Our South African history

The global merger of Rothmans International with British American Tobacco in 1999 created the business as it is known today – and led to the creation of British American Tobacco South Africa.

British American Tobacco South Africa is home to South Africa’s top six cigarette brands - market-leader Peter Stuyvesant, Dunhill, Princeton, Rothmans, Craven A, and Kent – and is the country’s leading cigarette manufacturer and distributor.

Key dates

• 1904: United Tobacco Company is formed.
• 1976: Heidelberg Factory is established as a social upliftment project in an area with low economic growth.
• 1999: The global merger of Rothmans International with British American Tobacco results in the largest tobacco company in South Africa, now known as British American Tobacco South Africa.
• 2008: Remgro unbundles its investment  in BAT to its shareholders .