Select Beverage company was awarded for each of the six spirits they entered, and on top of that, they were awarded the trophy for the best gin of the 2022 awards for their African Craft Honeybush Gin. We were very curious to learn the secrets of this company's amazing success.
Please tell us your name, a bit about yourself, and your role in the company.
My name is Brendon van Niekerk, and I am the co-founder of Select Beverage Company. We began by handling the sales and marketing for a number of different alcohol brands. We fell in love with the industry and decided to introduce a few of our own brands into the market.
Please tell us when your company was founded and some of its history.
Select Beverage Company is a family-business born out of a dream to bring premium African spirits to the world. Having seen a gap in the market for award-winning spirits infused with truly African ingredients, SBC released their first brand by the name of African Craft in May 2018. The African Craft collection includes a Marula, Honeybush, Baobab, Naartjie and Litchi infused gins. As the brand grew, SBC added a Rum to the African Craft collection called Hoodoo.
After travelling to various gin-loving countries in search of different trends and ingredients, SBC introduced the first Elderflower Gin into South Africa. They then introduced the Chroma range of fruit infused colour gins, which became instantly popular among the younger generation.
With the growth of Tequila worldwide, SBC wanted to bring out their version of this beautiful spirit with a touch of African Pizzazz. They released Sicario Karoo Agave, which quickly became a multi-award winning product. They source the Blue Agave from the arid plains of the Karoo, situated in South Africa’s Western Cape Province. The Agave is oven-roasted for three days in the time-honoured tradition. It is then pressed and blended with Schoonspruit mineral water, one of the oldest and cleanest water sources in Africa. Sicario’s name is derived from the Spanish term for Assassin. This Mezcal was named Sicario, due to its unassuming, smooth taste. The oak finish and soft palate creates a moreish response from the majority of its drinkers, yet it still packs a 43% alcohol volume, thus creeping up on you like an assassin.
Spirits are currently riding on a huge wave of popularity. What avenues do you think still need to be explored, and what do you predict will happen in the near future?
Spirits are certainly gaining popularity worldwide as producers continue to release new products and bars introduce new cocktails. As predicted by many, the industry has seen a spike in Rum, however we are starting to experience a rapid increase in Tequila sales. I firmly believe that Tequila sales will continue to grow, both in South Africa and worldwide.
What makes your products unique?
When entering the market, we wanted to introduce products that were different and would stand out in a competitive and saturated market. Our African Craft range focuses on truly African infusions such as Marula and Baobab. Our Chroma range consists of an array of colour gins that contain a variety of fruit infusions. The design for our Benedict’s range is inspired by the London phone booth, which provides a very unique look, especially on the shelf, and we were the first company to produce an Eldeflower gin in South Africa.
What are the different spirits you have currently, and the differences between them?
We currently have 15 gins, a rum and an agave. Our products come in 750ml bottles as well as gift packs containing 50ml bottles.
Where are your products available?
We have various lines available in a number of retailers, such as Checkers, Pick n Pay and Spar, however our entire range is available online via Quick Cart and Takealot.
Contact person: Marie von Allemann
Email address: marie@selectbeveragecompany.co.za
Contact number: +27 (0)63 049 2252
Website address: https://quickcart.store/selectbeveragecompany/
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/africancraftgin
Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/african_craft_beverages/
