05-07-2025
Be part of history: South Africa's braai record attempt for World Hunger Day
Guests at the send-off of the Trek4Mandela expedition to Mount Kilimanjaro and the launch of an attempt to break the world record for the most people grilling/barbequing (braaiing) simultaneously.
Image: Oupa Mokoena / Independent Newspapers
An attempt to break the world record for the most number of people braaiing simultaneously will be made on Heritage Day in a bid to provide one million meals on World Hunger Day next year.
At least 2,500 people are expected to braai at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Tshwane, according to the organisers, Big Save Grocery and Liquor.
The company's head of marketing, Dylan Jardim, on Friday said the idea for the attempt came about three years ago when he wanted to do something huge, crazy, and exciting but did not know what it could be.
Although the idea of breaking a world record came up, he was not quite sure which one to chase. Jardim eventually stumbled on a record of the most people barbequing simultaneously in one venue, which he found interesting.
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This world record piqued Jardim's interest, and he became even more interested upon establishing that Japan held it.
Japan's Ishigaki City holds the Guinness World Record for the most people grilling/barbequing simultaneously, with 2,220 after achieving the feat in November 2023.
'So from then, I felt that regardless of how it happens, South Africa has to have the record back,' he explained.
Jardim said he told the company's founders and directors that he was planning to get 2,500 people standing on a field all braaiing at the same time.
The idea of feeding a million people with a million meals came up after he met Imbumba Foundation's chief executive Richard Mabaso, according to Jardim.
He said the idea was to use Braai Day (Heritage Day) as a catalyst for the entire event, and all the funds gained from ticket sales will be the initial investment for the World Hunger Day goal of feeding one million people.
'We have the braai world record for an incredibly South African and purpose-driven foundation, where people feel like by attending we are not only bringing braai back to South Africa but helping feed people of this country,' added Jardim.
Officials from Guinness World Records are expected to be present on the day.
'Once we have the right to use their name and logo and all of that, we will. We only have the right from August onwards,' he said.
Tickets will be R200 for the event, and the main headline sponsor is Simba, as well as Pepsi, KFC, All Gold, White Star, and Castle Lager.
Jardim said later there will also be a festival with some of the country's leading musical acts, such as Mi Casa and Booshle G, among others, as well as a beer garden, food trucks, and a kids' area to create a family day atmosphere.
He urged South Africans to come and be a part of history.
