The Luxurious
Sugarcane
Gin of Africa
distilled with twelve ingredients from twelve countries across africa
Umodzi Gin’s distinct flavour is defined by quality sugarcane, grown in the copper-coloured earth, deep in the lush Eswatini vegetation.
This beautiful ingredient is shredded and pressed until luscious liquid flows into the heart of the copper still – here it ages patiently up to 10 days until the flavour is rich and full bodied, ready for the first distillation.
An Outstanding
Board Of Directors
Our ambition is to become the Luxurious Sugarcane Gin of choice made in Africa for the World, our board is the cornerstone of this ambition. We have exceptional and diverse expertise on our broad through alcohol, entrepreneurship, luxury, marketing and sales. Our vision is that our experienced and well travelled board will later become our partners in other countries as we build out a franchise business model across Africa and Northern America.
David
David is a Nottingham-born Entrepreneur who found his passion in life in his late 20s – building and operating businesses that champion Africa.
David brings all round experience and skills as a qualified accountant, development and investment professional, serial entrepreneur and business owner to the board.
David advised MDs and CEOs on £100m-£1bn Mergers & Acquisitions at EY London. David has previously Co-Founded, built and developed a High End Supermarket in Malawi, raising and deploying $1m in funding.
mwayi
Mwayi is the founder of Planet Green Africa, Inhouse Interiors and published in Forbes 30 Under 30 for Africa. Mwayi brings exceptional entrepreneurial experience to our brand and a wide entrepreneurial network from across Africa.
Mwayi and David met in Malawi in 2018. Mwayi and David have since worked together on developing the Umodzi Gin franchise in Malawi and financing Planet Green Africa.
corrine
Corine brings a wealth of alcohol marketing and brand building expertise to our board. Corine has experience in senior roles in the food and beverage industry across the USA, including as a Senior Customer Marketing Manager at Heineken and most recently at Door Dash.
Corine and David met through Harry. Corrine brings unconventional ideas and has a passion to create and market exception products that ignite consumers imagination.
HARRY
Harry brings strength to our distribution and sales strategies. Harry has over 10 years of experience in the beverage sector selling into top tier retailers across multiple countries, including as a Director for Key Accounts at Heineken USA and most recently as Sales Director at Rise Brewing.
Harry and David met through university, have been connected for over 10 years, previously launching a FMCG business together.
JAMES
James is an exceptional all round entrepreneur and business professional. James has consulted to multiple international alcohol brands on their entry and distribution into the UK market. James brings a wide international network to the brand.
James and David met at the Kempinski Hotel in Ghana in 2019 whilst promoting Umodzi Gin.
PAUL
Paul is the founder of Lemonade Pockets, providing Elite, ultra-bespoke, private travel design. Paul brings luxury, he is exceptional at managing UHNW clients and has an eye for how to create a quality product and brand.
Paul and David met in London several years ago. Paul’s guidance closely influenced the steps taken to bring you the exceptional bottle design seen today.
Opulent Origins
Umodzi Gin is a new sophisticated luxurious sugarcane gin infused with the finest flavours from across the continent and destined for the top tables and finest company at the glittering gatherings across Africa and Europe.
Umodzi Gin is made in Africa for the world. It teems with a taste of a dozen countries – a remarkable gathering of flavours from the far-flung corners of Africa: from mangoes grown on the shores of Lake Malawi to ginger from Lake Tana in Ethiopia. The branding was designed in Ghana and it is distilled and bottled in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Disrupting Traditions
David Mountain is a man on a mission to introduce his Sugarcane Gin containing 12 flavours from 12 countries in one luxurious product to the World – all while disrupting the $9 billion ‘traditional’ gin industry, with a product that champions Africa. The last David to face such odds carried a sling and a bag of stones into battle against a giant called Goliath. It is as daunting to take on the equally mighty and fiercely competitive liquor market in Africa and Europe in difficult economic times. To succeed he needs – without stretching the metaphor too much – to climb as high as his surname.
Umodzi’s Birth
Umodzi Gin was born from a dream in Malawi on 8 May 2019, this is the beautiful country where our Founder and serial entrepreneur David Mountain began living his entrepreneurial journey in ernest. It was in Malawi where David first tasted Sugarcane Gin, he knew that this product would be a hit outside of Malawi, he had tasted nothing like it before, the sugarcane was smooth on the palette, with a strength that left a nostalgic feel. David tried for some time to export this product but eventually met a closed door, it reminded him of a familiar feeling – rejection.
This is the world of Nottingham-born Entrepreneur and chef David Mountain. Not knowing how to give up, inpatient and determined, David decided on this day that he would create his own brand, 100% owned, 100% funded and 100% the vision of David Mountain.
Empowering Africa
We live in a world that is dominated by digital and this encourages collaboration on a global scale. Our founder David is passionate about the continent and people of Africa, having conducted business in Sub Saharan, Eastern and Western Africa and he is determined to empower and nurture the talent in the motherland.
The name Umodzi stands for Unity and that is the vision and ethos of this brand – to unite all four corners of Africa, creating exceptional products and services for the World that benefit Africa.
