With a plethora of liquor brands on the shelves, choosing what you enjoy may have to come down to just the quality and even status attached to a brand.
Certain liquor does denote how you might be living but would it not be more important, more African to put your money behind a local and Black-owned brand?
Suzan Mtsweni who is originally from KwaNdebele, Gembokspruit has been hard at work setting up her own gin and tonic brand.
IJubanobkhobe was established in 2022 and became more readily available in April of 2023.
“I was in the corporate world for over 15 years making use of my BSc in computer statistics and mathematics. IJubanobkhobe has become my sole business venture, and I am the director and the founder of IJubanobkhobe.”
Gin is not something we’re short on locally and so Suzan had to find something that would set hers apart from the rest.
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“My gin is designed in an African way to attract clients in the whole world. Just viewing the brand makes you want to take it at home as a decoration.”
Her bottles and cans are all colourfully painted in the mode of the Ndebele culture, so you can imagine, these pop off the shelves and easily hail the attention of consumers.
“Before even having the taste. My brand will also add value economically to our country especially as tourists enjoy it,” she brags.
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IJubanobkhobe gin and tonic is botanical, and the taste is sweet with that natural taste of the garden. It is a pink floral and cranberry symphony with juniper notes. That makes it natural and botanical.”
She sells her gin for R40 a unit and has established an online store to streamline sales with IJubanobkhobe also being available at Makro’s online store. She is also finalising a deal with Tops.
So far, this endeavor is bearing fruit but starting a business is always a strenuous task and it has been for Suzan in parts.
“The design of the brand was quite complicated for the designers. But I believe that this is what I want. This is my vision and I'd rather be patient and work closer with them and together we made it.
In contrast, “Demonstrating, tasting and seeing people become excited and inquisitive about the creativity this brand involves brings me joy. People engage with my brand and ask me how I thought about all this. To answer that question and let customers have a sip and ask for more makes me feel so excited. To know that people are enjoying it, and they can’t leave my table/stall keeps me going. I also enjoy it when clients say they will use the bottle for decorative purposes is also exactly what I was going for.”
Suzan, who is an entrepreneur in the true sense of the term is also the head of a system development company as the director and founder of that so her plate is quite full.
IJubanobkhobe is currently available country-wide and on her website.
