Although handcrafted in small individual batches in coastal Cape Town, Vachellia Premium Vodka tells a Midrand duo’s journey of opulence, luxury, inspiration and character.
Started in 2017, by friends and business partners, Thabiso Mogodi and Siyabonga Sangquthu, the vodka brand is well on its way to becoming Africa’s leading luxury vodka brand – selling hundreds of bottles at a time.
“The idea has been there since 2017, between now and then it was a matter of figuring out how we were going to do it with the finance side of things – which was the hardest. Eventually things started falling into place and here we are now,” Mogodi said.
Although hitting the shelves no less than three months ago, the brand was two years in the making. Mogodi said this was primarily influenced by crafting the finest vodka possible and a brand of vodka that does not only go down well but also intended to inspire and celebrate African excellence while breaking boundaries.
“If you want something to be perfect, it’s going to take time and if you want to be in a hurry, you’re going to have to compromise on a few things. It wasn’t a practical challenge, but for me, it was a real challenge not to compromise and it worked in our favour because had we rushed certain things it would’ve flopped and we wouldn’t have learnt what we’ve learnt and we wouldn’t have done certain things. Time is a teacher and within that time we’ve learnt so many different things and we got so many things right.”
Taking inspiration from the Vachellia tortilis*, a medium to large canopied tree indigenous primarily to the savanna and Sahel of Africa, the vodka echoes Africa’s rich heritage and vibrant culture in its drive to show the world what the continent’s brightest minds has to offer. (*It is also known as an umbrella thorn tree.) Mogodi explained, “Before anything else, Vachellia is something for Africans by Africans.”
We needed to come up with a brand that could be accepted in Africa and in any other part of the world and still have meaning. In any part of the world, when someone lays their eyes upon Vachellia Premium Vodka, they are to be reminded of its African origin, and that it is the epitome of pure African excellence, craftsmanship and quality.”
Being the thorn among roses in a competitive alcoholic beverages market has seen Mogodi and Sangquthu’s brand truly embody the characteristics of the Vachellia tortilla – from being drought resistant to finally flowering and blooming. “Yes, we understand being the rose among thorns, but we wanted to be the thorn among roses because the thorn is there to protect the rose. While everybody else is being a rose, why not be something different and be beautiful in your own way?” Mogodi asked.
Source: Midrand Reporter