Our History

1983

AMARULA IS INTRODUCED

The Spirit of Africa was born when we first bottled a clear spirit distilled from the exotic marula fruit.

1989

Amarula cream hits the shelves

We introduced cream to our recipe, and the Amarula cream liqueur hits shelves domestically.

1994

AMARULA CREAM IS INTRODUCED TO THE WORLD

We take Amarula to the world, with the introduction of Amarula Cream first in Brazil and subsequent to the rest of the world.

2008

AMARULA TRUST

The Amarula Trust is launched so that we can forever keep meeting elephants beneath the marula trees.

2014

AMARULA CELEBRATES 25 YEARS

Amarula Cream celebrates 25 years in South Africa. Amarula Gold is launched.

2016

A new shape

The elegantly tapered Jabulani bottle (named for an orphaned baby elephant reintroduced into the wild) is introduced.

2018

AMARULA’S FIRST FLAVOURED CREAM LIQUEUR

Amarula Vanilla Spice is introduced to the global market, infusing hints of Madagascan vanilla extract and Nigerian ginger to our classic cream liqueur. Vanilla Spice won World’s Best Cream the year after its launch. In the same year, Amarula signs a landmark conservation deal with WildlifeDirect.

2019

NEW FLAVOUR LAUNCH

Following the success of Vanilla Spice, a new flavour, Raspberry, White Chocolate and African Baobab, is introduced to the global market.

2020

ETHIOPIAN COFFEE LAUNCHED IN EUROPE

Adding to the flavour range, a new flavour was introduced that infuses the original taste of the real marula fruit, perfectly complemented by the full-bodied and fragrant mocha-chocolate undertones of single origin Arabica beans from Ethiopia.

2021

Amarula Has a Sleek New Look!

Same spirit, New Look. The clean lines of both bottle and label are refreshed and designed to communicate Amarula’s soaring free spirit. ¬Along with this refresh, we launched our Vegan liqueur - a delicious plant-based indulgence without compromise.

2022

A New Chapter Begins

We embarked on a heartfelt journey to breathe new life into our brand identity, unveiling a sleek and contemporary new look that echoes the very essence of who we are. This evolution not only captured the beating heart of our brand but also reaffirmed our dedication to innovation.

2023

Amarula Gin and Chocolate Launch

We introduced our new addition to the family – Amarula African Gin. A balanced, refreshing spirit distilled with botanicals that perfectly complement the exotic marula fruit. We also added Chocolate to the cream flavor range, our most indulgent liqueur with a velvety milk chocolate taste.

Everything starts with the

Marula fruit

There is just one place on earth where the marula trees grow – across Africa’s subequatorial plains. And there is just one time of year when the marula trees bear their exotic fruit – at the height of our beautiful summer.

The size of small plums but oval in shape, the marula fruit ripens to a rich yellow, with a tough outer skin surrounding its fibrous, white flesh. Containing four times more vitamin C than the average orange, marula is a succulent fruit with a citrus tang and a creamy, nutty taste.

Archaeological evidence of marula fruit can be dated back as far as 10 000 BC with traces of marula kernels found in the ancient Pomongwe Cave of Zimbabwe. The smooth, light brown seed inside each marula fruit protects its oil-rich kernels which are an essential source of nutrition and have anti-oxidant as well as moisturising properties.

The Harvest

The marula trees cannot be cultivated. No matter how hard people have tried, these mysterious, African trees stay robustly true to their earthy roots and grow only where they choose. Only once a year, at the peak of summer, the marula trees bear their sacred fruit.

When the scent of ripe marula fills the air, the elephants travel vast distances in order to get a taste. This is our cue to begin the harvest. Local communities are an integral part of the process, and carefully hand-pick the fruit once the elephants have raised their trunks in approval.

The African Legend

Storytelling has always been central to African life.
The marula tree, as the source of several fascinating legends, has become a sacred and intricate part of ancient African culture. Locals have revered these trees for centuries and refer to them fondly by various names.

Because elephants travel for miles to feast on the wild fruit, locals call it ‘The Elephant Tree’. African folklore also refers to it as ‘The Marriage Tree’. Apart from making a beautifully natural wedding canopy, it’s also said to have aphrodisiac properties and features in tribal fertility rites.

The ripening of the marula fruit in summer coincides with great celebrations in many parts of Southern Africa. In Swaziland, for example, the annual Marula Festival is celebrated at the king’s royal residence, sustaining the belief that the marula fruit is fit for kings and queens.

Like the elephants, the marula trees are protected under South African law. They are a key part of African heritage and may not be farmed for commerce. The fruit however is sold in a variety of natural products, Amarula of course being one of them.

Our Purpose

Amarula is inspired by the generosity of spirit of the marula tree. As the tree shares its carefree gift of joy with the elephants and community, so too do we honour this symbiotic ecosystem, from soil to hands and glass (and beyond).

Amarula and the elephants are intimately connected through our African roots and the marula fruit. We created the Amarula Trust in 2008 with the aim to safeguard the African elephants. With less than 400,000 elephants left in the world, and their numbers decreasing at an alarming rate, we are going to work together with organisations to help protect our elephants and safeguard our heritage – so that in the years to come we can continue meeting them beneath the marula trees.

Explore our Commitment

Makanyi Foundation

Makanyi Foundation is a non-profit organisation that is dedicated to promoting and enhancing the wellbeing of communities in Phalaborwa. These communities are very close to our heart.

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Herd - South Africa's first elephant orphanage

Caring for and rehabilitating orphaned elephants, to give them a new family, and a second chance of life with another herd. The orphanage lies adjacent to the Jabulani Herd stables on the Kapama Private Game Reserve, which allows us to integrate each baby elephant into the herd according to their individual emotional needs.

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The Handwork Hub - Women's Empowerment

A Distell E+Scalator project, since incorporation in February 2017 the ladies have made more than 40 million tassels for Distell’s Amarula Cream bottles. All the ladies are serious minded about their jobs and are striving to make their children’s lives better than their own.

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