OnTap Magazine

educating the market on how to consume good quality agave spirit. In the bottle shops, the few locally- made products are more likely to be competing with the imported Mexican tequilas. Kennan explains that they do not make their money in-country, or as she puts it, “We wash our faces with local sales.” Instead, they are finding some success internationally. I ask her how they broke into the overseas market and she tells me that they initially generated interest through social media. Some positive articles in various international outlets came next, followed by a few awards for their product. This buzz caught the attention of several international distributors and importers, resulting in Leonista launching their spirits in the UK, Netherlands, Japan, and Germany. OPENING DOORS Another brand jumped on the agave train back in October of 2021. Da Rocca is a “a premium craft beverage company based in the Cape Winelands,” who kicked off in 2014 with a craft beer. They moved on to include craft gin, rum, hard seltzer, and most recently agave spirit, sold under the name Rocco Torro. Jonathan Roche of Da Rocca Craft tells me that he knew of Leonista when his interest in adding a locally sourced agave-spirit to their repertoire emerged, conceding that Kennan’s company helped to open the doors on this possibility. He went on to say that da Rocca sources their agave spirit from the same distillery used by Leonista, however, the two companies have separate relationships with the distiller, each cultivating their own influences over the final product. Adding a locally sourced agave-spirit Roche does also differ from Kennan in his approach to the market. He agrees that the South African consumer is still primed for that shooter experience, but he is not looking to change that–yet. He has observed some of the bigger, high- end players–the Don Julios and Patrons, for example–looking to sophisticate the market, and he is happy for them to do so. In the meantime, he is building a relationship with outlets, primarily in Cape Town, who cater to an international audience, from hotels and restaurants, to night clubs and bars. These outlets know that their customers who are visiting South Africa are keen to try “locally made” beverages, as opposed to that Mexican brand they can likely find at home. Interestingly, I noted that both brands offer what Kennan calls a “gateway bottle,” one brand uses a white chocolate infusion, the other honey. As Kennan points out, you need something “friendly, open, sweet…that was going to get people back into the family.” This tends to work well for people who are scared of tequila, or who have had a previously bad experience Roche is also eager to share that several craft breweries have been supportive of his product, given that, in his view, their companies’ missions are so similar. He names Darling and Woodstock Breweries in particular. Ultimately, Roche feels that just because “tequila” wasn’t born in South Africa, that doesn’t mean companies here cannot, or should not strive to, produce some of the best in the world. He points to the Springbok team as an example of a “world best,” despite rugby not being a home-grown sport. On this point–the goal of making globally competitive agave spirit–I am sure both Kennan and Roche would be aligned. Question remains: will the South African market get on board? ontapmag.co.za | Autumn 2023 | 31