OnTap Magazine

ontapmag.co.za | Summer 2025 | 33 African Breweries (SAB). But his heart was increasingly pulling him elsewhere. He looked around at the broader beer landscape at the time and started to wonder, for example, why it was that when tourists visit South Africa, there was no truly local beer, except for umqombothi ? Relatedly, why was there no other brand that could compete with Black Label, the most popular beer brand purchased in the townships? Ndumiso told Forbes in December of 2014 that while traveling in Europe as a student, he was struck by how every small town had its own beer. Why could South Africa’s townships not have the same? His focus then shifted to Soweto: the largest township in South Africa and arguably the best-known, seeing the highest number of tourists, year after year, who flock to see such historic sites as Nelson Mandela or Desmond Tutu’s homes. Why not start a township-based craft beer brand, he thought? A STRONG PARTNERSHIP Ndumiso and Josef Schmid, a Swedish hospitality and tourism executive who had moved to South Africa, met in 2012 through mutual business associates. Hearing about Ndumiso’s plans for a Soweto-based craft beer brand, Josef was intrigued. What drew him to partner with Ndumiso, Josef explained to me, was “the opportunity to tap into an underserved market in Soweto that was looking for unique tasting beer. The craft direction was deliberate; we saw a chance to create something authentic and premium that represented the spirit of Soweto, rather than competing directly with the commercial giants. When we created Soweto Gold, we wanted to create a beer for the people—a Zamalek brewed pure. The township market deserved quality craft beer, and we believed there was a sophisticated palate waiting to be served.” The two men moved quickly; Josef liquidated a few assets back in Sweden and the two ploughed ahead. “I always used to say,” Josef added, “‘Ndumiso, you are the beer. I am the business.’ I had no knowledge of brewing, but Ndumi and I were a great match together…” In July of 2014, after a gruelling two-year wait to acquire necessary licensing, they finally brewed their first batch of Soweto Gold, at the time registered under the business name MadMead Brewing Co. That launch batch, as well as several that followed, were brewed at Nottingham Road Brewery in KZN. Later that year, they managed to get a facility up and running at Ubuntu Kraal in the “cultural heart of Soweto” in Orlando West. In under a year, Soweto Gold became available at 25 different restaurants and pubs around Johannesburg, and the business itself employed as many as 60 people. In that very first year, Soweto Gold won "Best Craft Beer in South Africa" by the League of Beers in Cape Town. I ask Josef about this and he says, “That recognition in 2014 was an extraordinary validation of what we were creating. We also won ‘Township Entrepreneurs of the Year.’ And of course, the heart and loyalty of many beer drinkers.” In general, the local response to their new business exceeded their initial expectations. The brewery did have a restaurant as well, and they specialized in traditional foods. They also offered brewery tours that, as Josef explains, “brought people into the heart of Orlando West.” He continues, “The combination of quality craft beer, local cuisine, and cultural experience resonated deeply. We hostedmusic events that turned Ubuntu Kraal into more than just a brewery; it became a destination, a gathering place that celebrated Soweto's vibrant culture.” And Ndumiso’s efforts to impact the local went beyond the Soweto-based brewery. Phakama tells me that his brother started a number of businesses back home, in an attempt to bring employment and opportunity to places lacking just that. One of those businesses he called “Village Fresh,” which sourced various products from the village and then sold them in the broader community, creating something of a “village value chain.” Ndumiso could often be found helping out family and friends, including in some cases, building homes for those in need. I ask Phakama what might have fueled this desire to give back—and to look back, while also so aggressively visioning his future—and he explained that while he and his brother had been able to pursue an education and a life beyond the village, they still felt like an integral part of their original community— one that had watched them grow up. OVERCOMING HURDLES Despite that positive initial reception, the business did soon face a number of difficulties. As many venturing into the craft beer space will eventually find, entering a market largely dominated by commercial beer brands is not easy. They also, Josef tells me, had to “shake the township stigma; [one that says] that whatever comes from the township is cheap and of low quality.” He continued, “We had to educate consumers about craft beer while competing on price with mass-produced alternatives. Building distribution networks from a township base, securing consistent quality ingredients, and scaling production tomeet demand whilemaintaining our craft ethos: these were constant balancing acts in those early years.” Phakama agrees, adding that again, like many craft breweries, they didn’t have much in the way of a marketing budget. Ndumiso’s vision itself, of maintaining a model that was “exclusively township,” meaning that it brought economic opportunity to the townships, didn’t always make things easier. They were able to hire staff entirely from Soweto, however, with success comes growth, and as Josef elaborates, “the reality of growth meant we needed to expand our reach beyond Soweto to create the economic sustainability that would support our community employment goals. We weren't selling Soweto as just a destination but selling the spirit of Soweto; that spirit could travel.” And travel it did, as evidenced by the many bars and restaurants in and around Johannesburg, including a few affluent areas, that agreed to sell Soweto Gold. Josef argues that this was thanks to both the story behind and the quality of the beer: “The…beer spoke for itself, but there was also something powerful about the Soweto Gold story. We had an authentic narrative. The tagline "Born in Soweto, brewed for all" captured our vision perfectly. Affluent areas were hungry for craft beer with characterand meaning. The combination of exceptional product, cultural authenticity, and the pioneering nature of South Africa's first black-owned craft brewery opened doors across Johannesburg.” It certainly seemed to catch the attention of the folks at Jameson Irish Whiskey, which launched a collaboration with Soweto Gold called ‘the “Soweto Gold ‘76.’ It was a limited edition, extra-strong lager matured for 76 days in Jameson Irish Whiskey casks, achieving a 7.6% ABV. The collab was made to honour the heroes of the Soweto Uprising of 1976. “It was a natural partnership,” Josef enthuses. “Jameson had been doing craft brewery