Two successful entrepreneurs have joined forces to distil the unforgettable “essence and beauty” of their African roots by launching their own flavoured vodka brand.
Beverley Annan-Forson and Jayne Doherty have created Afrique, a 40% ABV vodka available in three different flavours, original, mango and papita – or papaya – and apple and coconut.
The drink, which goes on sale on July 31, is the result of an 18-month development programme, which involved the women tasting and testing everything from the type of vodka to the flavourings, the labelling and the bottles.
They’ve also collaborated with farmers and growers from a number of different African countries, including Ghana, Kenya and Tanzania, whose products are being used to give Afrique its flavours.
Both Beverley and Jayne, from Broxbourne in Hertfordshire, are already successful businesswomen in their own right, with a string of ventures between them, including a chain of nurseries, a healthcare business and a growing property portfolio.
They are both involved in charitable work overseas including in Ghana, which, alongside other African countries, will receive a percentage of the proceeds of Afrique to help local communities and the very farmers they will be buying their ingredients from.
The pair struck up a friendship when they were studying at college in Walthamstow, before going onto university together.
They have been inseparable ever since, supporting each other in their individual entrepreneurial ventures and working together to create their ground-breaking venture.
Afrique borrows heavily from the pair’s own Ghanaian heritage and, they say, is their way of showcasing the unique, spirit, vibrancy and joy of the African continent.
Jayne said: “It’s like Africa in a bottle. It’s a celebration of the community, the unity and the warmth that you get right across the continent and it’s our way of sharing the experience of going to Africa.
“There isn’t a drink like this on the market and that’s what we find so exciting. It’s an emotional experience for us because it’s close to our hearts but also because it represents the side of Africa that people don’t hear about or see very often.
“Yes, there are social issues, but the narrative in Africa has changed enormously. There is a surge in African celebrity and more prominence of people who are proud to be Africans, and this is the message we want to sell.”
Jayne and Beverley originally thought about establishing their own gin brand, but this was soon discounted when they realised there was more potential in vodka, which is experiencing increasing sales worldwide.
They then had to decide which type of vodka they wanted, working with distillers to sample vodka made from potato and grain before settling upon sugar beet, which also enables Afrique to be gluten-free.
Beverley said: “I’ve always wanted to launch a spirit or wine that people could buy for when they’re having a drink with family and friends, because it brings people together.
“We both like vodka, but although we thought about gin, we went down the flavoured vodka brand route because we could see ourselves making an impact in that industry.”
Jayne said: “I really love all of the flavours, and you can mix the original with everything. Because it’s made from sugar beet, it’s not as harsh as other vodkas can be and it’s naturally sweet.
“That’s really important to the taste of Afrique, because it means we don’t have to add enhancers to the natural fruit flavours, which means it’s good for cocktails without adding to your waistline.”
The women are bringing Afrique to market in conjunction with West Midlands drinks collective Virtus Brands, which also helped them to finalise the flavours and will manufacture the drinks at its base in Kingswinford, near Dudley.
Baz Kooner, founder of Virtus Brands, said: “We work with a number of entrepreneurs at Virtus Brands and we’ve been extremely impressed with Beverley and Jayne.
“They totally understand what they need to do to make their flavoured vodka brand a success and they are totally invested in what it means to them.
“There are so many brands being launched at the moment and it’s really shaking up the industry. It’s really exciting to be working with an African vodka brand – it’s fresh, independent and unique, which is just what drinkers are looking for.”
Each bottle of Afrique vodka costs £30 and is available from www.afriquespirits.com
