Kenya’s Own Locally Distilled Gin Debuts In The Market

Kenya Originals, a Kenyan-based distiller that works with locally available ingredients, has debuted its latest product into the market. The gin comes in two brands, the Classic and the Tambuzi.

The distiller has been present in the market with their infamous cider brands that took Kenyans by storm. Kenya Originals gained popularity in Kenya because their ciders are manufactured with 100% local and Kenyan products. The distiller maintains its place in the market as a big user of local materials for its products, now including the gin.

The gin’s contents include products from Kenyan farmers all over the country. The ingredients include bitter orange leaves from Kilifi, lemongrass from Kabati, Bay leaves from Kinangop, Roses from Mt Kenya region, Hibiscus from Meru, and Baobab from Kilifi.

Other local ingredients include peanuts (njugu), mint, ginger, mangoes, chili, and turmeric.

Alexandre Chappatte, the founder and CEO of Kenya Originals, is confident that the gin will be as successful as the ciders the company has been producing for the Kenyan market.

“We believe our gin brands are a good addition to the Kenyan local alcohol scene. What is unique to Kenya Originals & 5.8 versus other gin brands is that we are the first company to craft using local ingredients and distill locally for the Kenyan audience,” she says.

With the launch of this gin and the ciders that Kenya Originals has been supplying to the market, the company looks to develop a culture among Kenyans. Culture that will have Kenyans prefer to have local drinks that are distilled locally with local ingredients.

This company has shown the market that Kenya can produce world-class quality gins distilled locally for Kenya.

“Kenya has such amazing and rich botanicals and ingredients that inspire us to innovate and distill locally. We also have the local expertise to produce food quality gins in Kenya and want consumers to go on a local botanical sourcing journey with us through our liquids,” Chappatte says, “knowing how rich Kenya is from a botanicals perspective they should expect future extensions of both gin brands.”

She further assured the market that the drinks are safe for everyone and have been approved by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs).

“The gin is KEBS approved and our business is 100% KRA compliant. Both bodies have very strict requirements for businesses handling raw spirits to ensure full compliance is in order,” she said when asked about regulation.