Klaar: Tupperware. Picture: supplied
Tupperware has announced the closure of its South African operations by December 2024, following a bankruptcy filing due to years of dramatically declining sales.
In September 2024, Tupperware filed for bankruptcy due to a culmination of factors, including its inability to compete effectively in a changing market and the decline in consumer interest.
The company announced that it would be selling certain assets to Party Products, a company formed by its lenders to help facilitate its restructuring.
Party Products will now focus on operating Tupperware in the US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, China, Korea, India and Malaysia.
Justin Korte, the head of commercial at Tupperware, confirmed that Tupperware South Africa would not receive the equipment necessary to continue production, which left the company with a severely limited stock of products.
In light of this, the company issued Voluntary Severance Packages (VSPs) to its employees,with the last working day set for December 31.
Those who did not accept the VSP would face layoffs in early 2025.
The origins of Tupperware can be traced back to 1942 when American chemist Earl Tupper invented the first Tupperware container.
Made from polyethylene resin, the plastic container was designed to preserve food by creating an airtight seal.
Initially, Tupper’s invention struggled to gain traction in stores, but everything changed when saleswoman Brownie Wise revolutionised the way the product was marketed, introducing the popular "Tupperware Parties" - informal gatherings where women could learn about the products, see demonstrations, and buy items to their heart’s content.
dailyvoice@inl.co.za
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