DJ Black Coffee And Tashas Founder Set To Launch Luxury Agave Spirit
Natasha Sideris, the restaurateur behind Tashas Group, and DJ Black Coffee are teaming up to create a premium agave spirit label in South Africa, according to Bloomberg. The label, Leonista, is set to launch at the end of the year. Sideris and Maphumul will source agave from the Karoo, a semi-arid region known for its premium lamb products.
Black Coffee launching a spirit brand
Leonista will be similar to tequila, meaning that it is distilled from the same plant genus. But tequila can only be made in specific regions of Mexico using blue agave. A former executive at a major African producer of wines, spirits, and ciders, and the founder of a specialized local financial services firm, is also a partner in the label.
Tashas Group is also seeking new partners to help the label expand in South Africa, where it aims to introduce eight of its internationally developed brands, such as Flamingo Room by Tasha’s, Bungalo34, and African Lounge.
“For me as a restaurateur and for him as this world-famous musician to be able to take the story of Africa in a bottle to the world will be really incredible,” Sideris said told Bloomberg. “People have got a clichéd view of Africa — farms, masks and strictly wildlife. South Africa has certainly shown itself on the world stage to be more than that. There’s a sophistication, a grit, there’s so much talent in South Africa and we want to be able to showcase that.”
About Black Coffee
Nkosinathi Innocent Maphumulo, also known as Black Coffee, is a South African DJ and songwriter. He has won eight South African Music Awards, four DJ awards, and a Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album.
Maphumulo has equity in several startups, including Yoco, an African technology company that provides payment services, and SweepSouth, a home-cleaning service platform. He also has an investment in Andela, a firm that builds remote engineering teams.
Image: YouTube/The Diary of a CEO
