2023 marks a milestone for Cadac, as we celebrate our 75th anniversary this year!
Ever since its formation in 1948 in Johannesburg, South Africa, CADAC has been a trusted partner on the campsite, a pioneer in outdoor cooking! There’s nothing quite like that BBQ aroma in the air throughout the summertime. One of the best things about cooking outdoors is being able to catch up with friends, family or the neighbours next to you, while the barbecue sizzles away and you’ve a drink in hand. Over the past 75 years, CADAC has developed an extensive range of barbecues and accessories; for use on the campsite, on the balcony or at home, from large to small, from gas and electric to fantastic paella pans and pizza stones!
So thank you to all seasoned and novice BBQ-ers! We are proud to have reached this fantastic milestone and look forward to another 75 years as the BBQ brand that is not afraid to break the boundaries of conventional outdoor cooking.
BACK TO THE BEGINNING
CADAC was founded in Johannesburg in 1948 as the ‘Commercial And Domestic Appliance Company’. Its origins were in the manufacture of garden equipment, but then in 1957 it saw the potential for the use of Liquefied Petroleum Gas as a cooking fuel and commenced the manufacture of LPG cylinders and appliances. Over the next few decades CADAC products such as heaters, lamps and cookers fired from LP gas, found their way into the homes, farms and caravans across South Africa.
THE FIRST SKOTTEL BRAAI
The origins of the word ‘Braai’ is Afrikaans for ‘barbecue’ or ‘grill’, originating from the early Dutch settlers who settled in Cape Town a few centuries ago. Farmers formed a large part of the South African population and when out in the open, they would start a fire for dinner and place a ploughshare (Skottel Skaar) above it. On this they would ‘braai’ their meat. The fat coming out of the meat kept it from burning.
CADAC produced the idea of placing the ploughshare on a gas cylinder via a round tube, and so the Skottel Braai was born. This Skottel barbecue was further developed over the years into an enamelled Skottel with a lightweight and collapsible base, making it easy to carry. In 1992, the first Skottel Braai was brought to the Netherlands. It was an instant success, especially among campers, because of the convenience of this handy barbecue! Until then, people only barbecued on traditional charcoal barbecues. With the Skottel Braai came an easier, faster and healthier alternative.
TRANSITION TO OUTDOOR LIVING
In 1999 CADAC came to the UK to design and manufacture a specialist adventure range for the European market. Products for camping, entertaining, hiking and safaris have all been introduced into the CADAC stable. The famous Safari Chef and Carri Chef barbecues were introduced in 2008 and still enjoy iconic status today.
CADAC MILESTONES AT A GLANCE
1948: Formation of CADAC in Johannesburg
1957: Started manufacturing and selling gas cylinders for the burgeoning consumers of the 50’s
1988: CADAC begins to expand to international outdoor leisure markets
1992: The first Skottel Braai is introduced to Europe, to great reviews
1995: Transition to outdoor living instead of just cooking on gas, developing products for camping, entertaining, hiking and safaris
1999: CADAC UK is formed to offer a specialist adventure range
2002: CADAC Europe is formed in the Netherlands
2008: The first Safari Chef and Carri Chef barbecues are introduced to the market
2014: CADAC launches the Grillo Chef barbecue
2022: CADAC becomes part of the Dometic group, a global market leading in the mobile living industry
2023: Celebrating 75 years of CADAC
CADAC & DOMETIC
Since 2022, CADAC has been part of the Dometic group. Dometic is a global market leader in the mobile living industry, with a long history of creating products for outdoor, home and professional use. With nearly 40,000 resellers and repair shops around the world, you can find Dometic everywhere. CADAC barbecues complement the Dometic range of outdoor products perfectly, and together we can offer our consumers a complete outdoor living solution where quality remains key.
