DH Brothers Industries – South African trademarks
Updated 8 November 2026
DH Brothers Industries is a South African manufacturer of personal care and cosmetic products, such as body lotions, petroleum jelly and hair care.
How DH Brothers Industries has built and protected its brands in South Africa – its trademark portfolio, where it expanded, how quickly its marks are registered, and who it competes with.
Download report (PDF)DH Brothers Industries trademarks in 45 seconds
Watch the video on its own page, with transcript – https://snz.co.za/trademark-country-selection-direct/dh-brothers-industries-south-african-trademarks/overview-video.html
A portfolio built over time
DH Brothers Industries filed its first South African trademark in 1970 and has filed 197 since; its busiest year was 1980, with 44 new filings. The chart shows its filings per year from 1970.
Trademarks by filing year, up to 2024; applications still pending are not included.
The names behind the portfolio
Over the years the group has filed under several names – earlier company names, holding companies and subsidiaries. We count them together.
| Name | Marks | Filing years |
|---|---|---|
| DH Brothers Industries | 198 | 1970–2024 |
| D H Brothers Industries | 7 | 2003–2003 |
Where DH Brothers Industries expanded its business
Trademark classes show what a business sells. DH Brothers Industries' portfolio is concentrated in cosmetics & cleaning (class 3), meat, dairy & oils (class 29), coffee, flour & sweets (class 30). Its most recent moves were into pharmaceuticals (2020), paper & print (2020), advertising & retail (2016).
DH Brothers Industries trademarks: expansion into trademark classes, 1970–2024
Watch the video on its own page, with transcript – https://snz.co.za/trademark-country-selection-direct/dh-brothers-industries-south-african-trademarks/class-expansion-video.html
Each tile is a class; it lights up when the group first files in it and darkens with more filings; the dots show how many of its closest rivals also file in that class. The chart compares the number of classes used with its rivals. The video runs from 1970; classes entered earlier are lit from the start.
| Class | Marks | Share | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Cosmetics & cleaning | 66 | 33.5% | 1978 |
| 29 Meat, dairy & oils | 60 | 30.5% | 1970 |
| 30 Coffee, flour & sweets | 27 | 13.7% | 1976 |
| 4 Oils & fuels | 20 | 10.2% | 1977 |
| 35 Advertising & retail | 7 | 3.6% | 2016 |
| 41 Education & entertainment | 5 | 2.5% | 2012 |
| 36 Finance & insurance | 3 | 1.5% | 2016 |
| 5 Pharmaceuticals | 2 | 1.0% | 2020 |
The brands DH Brothers Industries protects most
The word marks and logo names DH Brothers Industries has filed most often – the same brand filed in more classes, in more versions or again over the years.
| # | Brand | Trademarks | Classes | Filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SUNFOIL | 11 | 7 | 1970–2023 |
| 2 | A BETTER WAY OF LIVING | 9 | 9 | 2020–2020 |
| 3 | WILLOWTON | 9 | 9 | 2003–2023 |
| 4 | SONA | 7 | 4 | 1979–2020 |
| 5 | D'LITE | 6 | 4 | 2009–2023 |
| 6 | ROMI | 6 | 3 | 1977–2012 |
| 7 | BRITELITE | 6 | 2 | 1980–2020 |
| 8 | RIVA | 4 | 4 | 1988–1989 |
| 9 | HAVE A HEART | 3 | 3 | 2020–2020 |
| 10 | SUNFOIL HAVE A HEART FOUNDATION | 3 | 3 | 2020–2020 |
| 11 | NUVOLITE | 3 | 2 | 2010–2012 |
| 12 | AISHA | 2 | 2 | 1980–1988 |
| 13 | AUNT NELLIE | 2 | 2 | 1976–1976 |
| 14 | BLULITE | 2 | 2 | 1977–1980 |
| 15 | CHOCROMY | 2 | 2 | 1990–2012 |
Logos filed most often (since 2020)
DH Brothers Industries' logos
The 4 different logos DH Brothers Industries has had published since 2020 – each logo shown once, however many classes or versions it was filed in. Logos protected in more classes come first.
How quickly its trademarks are registered
Over the last five years, DH Brothers Industries' marks took a median of 3.4 years from filing to registration, slower than the market's 2.7 years. Most of that time is examination: 3.0 years from filing to acceptance (market: 1.9). Registration itself follows about half a year after acceptance.
Median years from filing to registration per registration year, split into examination (filing → acceptance) and acceptance → registration; the dashed line is the market median. A high recent value means older applications came through that year.
Who files the most in DH Brothers Industries' classes
Ranked by number of trademarks filed in DH Brothers Industries' main classes – any company that files there, whatever else it does (including retailers' own brands). This shows DH Brothers Industries' market position, not who is most like it.
In the last five years, DH Brothers Industries was #215 of 1,836 filers in class 3 (cosmetics & cleaning), with 3 of 3,958 trademarks; #23 of 919 filers in class 29 (meat, dairy & oils), with 11 of 2,013 trademarks; #40 of 1,368 filers in class 30 (coffee, flour & sweets), with 9 of 3,209 trademarks.
DH Brothers Industries' share of all trademarks filed in each of its main classes, per filing year.
Top trademark filers in class 3 (cosmetics & cleaning), South Africa 1975–2024: DH Brothers Industries
Watch the video on its own page, with transcript – https://snz.co.za/trademark-country-selection-direct/dh-brothers-industries-south-african-trademarks/class-3-race-video.html
Main competitors – the companies most like DH Brothers Industries
Ranked by how similar their whole trademark portfolio is to DH Brothers Industries' – the same mix of classes and the same words in their marks – not by size. Large filers in its classes that do something different rank lower here.
DH Brothers Industries' closest competitors in South Africa are Tiger Brands, Libstar, RCL Foods and Dynamic Brands Manufacturing.
DH Brothers Industries trademarks vs competitors: filings per year, 2010–2024
Watch the video on its own page, with transcript – https://snz.co.za/trademark-country-selection-direct/dh-brothers-industries-south-african-trademarks/competitors-video.html
Trademark filings per year: DH Brothers Industries (orange) and its five closest competitors.
| # | Company | Relationship | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tiger Brands | Direct competitor | 88% |
| 2 | Libstar | Direct competitor | 84% |
| 3 | RCL Foods | Direct competitor | 82% |
| 4 | Dynamic Brands Manufacturing | Direct competitor | 82% |
| 5 | Clover | Direct competitor | 81% |
| 6 | Nestlé | Direct competitor | 80% |
| 7 | Pioneer Foods | Direct competitor | 77% |
| 8 | AVI | Direct competitor | 72% |
| 9 | Shoprite | Retailer's own brands | 93% |
| 10 | Pick n Pay | Retailer's own brands | 92% |
Similarity of trademark activity since 2015 (classes and words used in marks). Retailers appear where their own brands compete on the shelf.
DH Brothers Industries – relevant export countries
South Africa exported US$5.0 billion of the goods DH Brothers Industries' main classes cover in the last year – cosmetics; essential oils; soaps; lotions (class 3); meat; fish; jams; eggs (class 29); coffee; bread; spices; honey (class 30); candles; fuels; industrial oils and greases; lubricants (class 4); dietary supplements; pharmaceuticals; disinfectants; veterinary preparations (class 5). Combining where these goods are exported, imported, growing and made (and copied), and what protection costs, these are the markets where DH Brothers Industries' trademarks matter most.
Where South Africa exports DH Brothers Industries' top goods
DH Brothers Industries' trademarks most often cover meat, coffee, cosmetics, candles and dietary supplements. South Africa's ten largest export markets for these goods took 61% of its exports of them in 2024.
South Africa's exports of each good to the country in 2024 (US$ million). The goods are the ones DH Brothers Industries' specifications mention most in its main classes; the figures are national exports, not the company's own sales.
Adjust the weightings
These weightings decide how the countries below are ranked. Change any value and the others adjust to keep the total at 100%.
Worldwide
| # | Market | Score | SA exports | Import growth / yr | Route | Cost, 5 classes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Union | 75 | US$370 m | -3% | National | US$2,388 |
| 2 | United States of America | 70 | US$183 m | -5% | National | US$3,425 |
| 3 | China | 70 | US$63 m | -3% | National | US$1,224 |
| 4 | United Kingdom | 68 | US$61 m | -1% | National | US$1,371 |
| 5 | Japan | 63 | US$22 m | -4% | National | US$1,774 |
| 6 | Botswana | 61 | US$927 m | -15% | ARIPO | US$450 |
| 7 | Australia | 61 | US$68 m | -7% | National | US$2,380 |
| 8 | Switzerland | 61 | US$8.9 m | +16% | National | US$1,660 |
| 9 | Türkiye | 60 | US$9.2 m | +5% | National | US$1,258 |
| 10 | Zimbabwe | 58 | US$322 m | +112% | ARIPO | US$450 |
Africa
| # | Market | Score | SA exports | Import growth / yr | Route | Cost, 5 classes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Botswana | 61 | US$927 m | -15% | ARIPO | US$450 S&Z |
| 2 | Zimbabwe | 58 | US$322 m | +112% | ARIPO | US$450 S&Z |
| 3 | Namibia | 57 | US$329 m | +2% | ARIPO | US$450 S&Z |
| 4 | Nigeria | 57 | US$23 m | -23% | National | US$1,015 S&Z |
| 5 | Eswatini | 56 | US$349 m | -3% | National | US$446 |
| 6 | Lesotho | 56 | US$310 m | -4% | National | US$326 |
| 7 | Egypt | 55 | US$15 m | +13% | National | US$2,278 |
| 8 | Malawi | 55 | US$58 m | +95% | ARIPO | US$450 S&Z |
| 9 | Mozambique | 55 | US$265 m | -15% | ARIPO | US$450 S&Z |
| 10 | Tanzania | 54 | US$24 m | -4% | ARIPO | US$450 S&Z |
SA exports = South Africa's exports of these goods to the market in the last year. Ranked with the default weightings. Score 0–100 from South Africa's exports of the goods to the market, net imports, import growth, foreign trademark filings, where the goods are made, market size and the cost of protection. Costs are total fees (official and professional) to file in 5 classes; ARIPO costs are per country, plus US$301 once per ARIPO application; S&Z = S&Z's own all-in price. Goods are taken from the classes and specifications, so the ranking is indicative.
Trade data: CEPII BACI (version 202601, trade flows 2022–2024), Licence Etalab 2.0; aggregated and combined with other data by S&Z.
Protecting its top brands in Nigeria and OAPI with S&Z
| Brand | Classes | Nigeria | OAPI (17 states) |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUNFOIL | 7 | US$1,421 | US$1,932 |
| A BETTER WAY OF LIVING | 9 | US$1,827 | US$2,302 |
| WILLOWTON | 9 | US$1,827 | US$2,302 |
| SONA | 4 | US$812 | US$1,378 |
| D'LITE | 4 | US$812 | US$1,378 |
S&Z all-in prices per brand in its number of classes, filing to registration.
TM Country Selection Rank the countries for your own goods and get the quotes.
Word marks you may have considered opposing
For DH Brothers Industries' five most-filed brands: word marks of other companies (not DH Brothers Industries' own group) that our similar word mark search, SimTM, found in the brand's own classes, and that we consider confusingly similar – from the earliest match found to today.
Similar to SUNFOIL (classes 4, 25, 28, 29, 30, 35, 41; searched 2018-05-30 to 2026-11-08)
No confusingly similar marks of other companies found in this period.
Similar to A BETTER WAY OF LIVING (classes 3, 4, 29, 30, 35; searched 2018-01-31 to 2026-11-08)
No confusingly similar marks of other companies found in this period.
Similar to WILLOWTON (classes 3, 4, 29, 30, 35; searched 2018-11-28 to 2026-11-08)
No confusingly similar marks of other companies found in this period.
Similar to SONA (classes 3, 4, 5, 29; searched 2021-03-31 to 2026-11-08)
No confusingly similar marks of other companies found in this period.
Similar to D'LITE (classes 29, 30, 35, 41; searched 2019-08-28 to 2026-11-08)
| Mark | Published | Class | Applicant |
|---|---|---|---|
| D'LITE | 2024-10-30 | 30 | ROYAL OAK Ltd |
| D'LITE | 2024-10-30 | 29 | ROYAL OAK Ltd |
Similarity of the words only. Whether a mark could have been opposed depends on the goods and services, the reputation of the brand and the facts – S&Z can advise. New marks like these are what SimTM watch reports as they are published.
How S&Z can help you
S&Z does not just file trademarks. We are a technology-first firm that manages trademarks – analysing your data, monitoring competitors and making sure your trademark assets remain protected.
We manage your trademarks – not just file them
Analysing your data, monitoring competitors and making sure your trademark assets remain protected:
Filing and renewal at fixed, all-inclusive prices
S&Z prices – South African trademarks
| Filing, first class – incl. official fee, examination report, routine office action, acceptance, publication, registration and e-certificate | US$240 |
| Each additional class of the same mark, filed at the same time | US$225 |
| Renewal online, per class (every 10 years from filing) | R1,027 ≈ US$62.29 |
Renewal in rand; US$ at R16.49 per US$.
DH Brothers Industries' next five years of renewals
110 of DH Brothers Industries' registered marks reach their ten-year renewal date in 2027–2031. Renewed online with S&Z, that costs about US$6,852 over the five years.
DH Brothers Industries: frequently asked questions
What should DH Brothers Industries consider for its trademarks?
- Where to file next: its goods sell strongly in Botswana, Zimbabwe and Namibia – markets where South African exports of the same goods are large or growing, and where S&Z files at its own all-in prices (see “DH Brothers Industries – relevant export countries”).
- Possible gaps: its competitors also protect class 32 (beer & soft drinks), class 31 (fresh produce & pet food) – worth checking against what the business sells or plans to sell.
- Similar marks: we found 2 word marks of other companies that we consider confusingly similar to its top brands (see “Word marks you may have considered opposing”) – a watch service flags new ones while they can still be opposed.
- Renewals and use: keep track of the ten-year renewal dates and of marks that are no longer used – unused marks can be challenged after five years, and some may no longer be worth renewing.