Cell C owner Blue Label proposes new name

Blue Label Telecoms is proposing a name change to Blu Label Unlimited to reflect its restructuring and strategic shift in the market.

The group notified shareholders of the proposed change on Friday (11 July) and is seeking approval at a general meeting on 11 August 2025.

The company is undergoing a significant restructuring process that involves the separation of its telecoms and non-telecoms business units, the company said.

In light of the shift, the board said it would be prudent for the company’s name to reflect this new direction by omitting “Telecoms”.

The “abbreviation” of Blue to Blu is to reflect recent changes to the group’s trading name and logo across various marketing platforms.

The board said that Blu Label Unlimited is a more fitting representation of the “company’s evolving identity and business focus”.

The group said that the name “Blu Label Unlimited Group Limited” has already been reserved with the Companies Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC).

In addtion, the JSE has approved the name change, subject to the requisite shareholder approval being obtained and the filing and acceptance of the special resolutions with CIPC.

The JSE long name and short name of the company will change to “Blu Label Unlimited” and “Blu”, respectively, it said.

However, the JSE share code and ISIN will not change. The company will retain its history and will remain listed in the telecoms sector on the main board of the JSE.

Blue Label was founded by brothers Mark and Brett Levy in 2001, deriving its name from the famous Johnnie Walker Blue Label whiskey brand.

When the company was first started, it was known as “The Prepaid Company”.

Pre-listing, whenever the brother signed a major deal, they would open a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label, write the details of the deal on the back of the bottle, and sign it.

By their telling, this sparked the idea of using the name “Blue Label” for their company, as it is an aspiring brand which suited the business at the time.