3 Afro European Startups to get the party started in 2022
With the current regulations around self-isolation expiring in the UK on 24 March, and COVID-19 cases falling, this might be the first Summer in 2 years without pandemic restrictions.
The pandemic brought about a record-breaking number of new innovative startups and huge investments to match it, so out of many excellent startups in the diaspora, we have chosen 3 that we think is perfectly positioned to celebrate life after the pandemic.
HL Vodka
Described as a “Vodka with no compromise” HL Vodka is the UK’s answer to Ciroc. Led by Oluwafemi Cole (Nigeria), from Sugar Beet to bottle HL Vodka is made in the UK in a unique grain to glass distillery which ferments the ingredients to make the Vodka instead of buying the neutral spirit.
The company’s website states that HL Vodka wants to steer away from using sugar to enhance the flavour and smoothen the Vodka, and makes it clear that there are many flavoured Vodkas out there, however they are not here to compete, but here to be the best. Look out for them this Summer #DrinkTheBest
London Manya
Admittedly palm wine is not the first drink you think of when you think of sophistication, palm wine is usually sold in jerry cans and is a popular drink in villages across Western Africa. However, London Manya is trying to change all of this. Led by David Uchenna (Nigeria) The UK based palm wine company uses sustainably sourced palms from Southern Nigerian forests. These trees have been harvested by local Palm Wine Tappers for thousands of years. David and his team are providing a modern and original twist on an African classic.
Pre-order a bottle now and let us know if it goes well with lemonade
Awash Wine
This one is not quite Afro European, but one we were too excited about not to include on the list.
When we think of wine we often think of France or South Africa, not Ethiopia. However, winemaking has been a part of Ethiopian culture for more than a millennium, dating back to the Axumite era. For generations, Ethiopians have been brewing traditional fermented beverages from locally available raw materials to welcome their guests. Traditional Ethiopian wine, also known as tedj, or Ethiopian mead, is a honey wine flavoured with an indigenous herb that remains the most popular alcoholic beverage in Ethiopia. In 1974 Awash Wine was established and since then, Awash Wine has grown to be a household name and one of Ethiopia’s most loved brands.
We tried to get our hands on a bottle, but the UK launch is still pending so keep your eyes peeled for this one.
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