Afrikanis Pty Ltd
What does your company do?
Afrikanis Premium African Rum primarily produce a craft rum in the heart of the Karoo. Along with the unique rum, we also produce a typical South African brandy and offer tastings and sales at our Afrikanis Rum Room in Graaff-Reinet. We offer travellers and locals alike a rum experience, a story of true South African grit and creativity and a connection with our own journey through the continent.
What is your biggest success?
My biggest success with Afrikanis is establishing the product and our Rum Room in Graaff-Reinet as one of the top tourist destinations in town as well as a recognisable product with a popular look and feel. The story of Afrikanis resonates with people and they love hearing it as much as they love smelling and tasting our unique Karoo rum. I started the company during the difficult Covid lockdown times by borrowing money from my other business which was at that stage not allowed to trade. We have had a lot of interest from investors which I believe is based on the quality of our product, but also on the branding and our unique name, which resonates with South Africans and international clients alike.
What has been your biggest hurdle?
Establishing a liquor brand in a male oriented industry of which I had no previous experience and then to grow the business from where it is as a top tourist attraction in Graaff-Reinet to a bigger footprint countrywide and perhaps even international. Craft rum is not the easiest product to sell, but I believe our success lies in our story and the leap of faith we took in difficult times to start a business with a beautiful story and even more beautiful branding to go with it - and sticking to it!
