Editéur Plus Editéur Plus - The Fourteenth Issue | Page 113

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EDITÉUR PLUS
distinct flavour. The most exciting part of working in
this line of work is the innovation and creativity for
these two. They are excited to see the trend towards
less alcohol taking off.
In pursuit of a more sustainable business with a low-
er carbon footprint, the founders of The Duchess use
fully recyclable packaging and the brand shares office
space at Inner City Ideas Cartel. Further-more, efforts
are being made to bottle beverages in the country in
which The Duchess is being sold.
The Duchess brand and logo was designed by Inus
and Fanakalo, a design company from Stellenbosch. It
was influenced by Delft designs from the Netherlands
and natural lines and contours of the botanical shapes.
‘We really went out to create a [brand] that looks as
elegant and sophisticated as the contents within.’
‘We still have a long road ahead of us with some
amazing opportunities that we need to utilize,’ says
Johannes. There have definitely been moments to
be proud of on the journey so far. The Duchess was
nominated as a finalist for two international beverage
awards against the like of Coca-Cola and Pepsi. There
was also a very positive response from the crowds at
the Junipalooza gin festival in the UK where they are
set to launch soon.
Keeping the customer’s best interest at heart is key
to moving forward. ‘We have an advantage in terms
of branding and taste, but the ball is in our court to
keep expanding the range,’ says Johannes. In this way,
they would avoid their greatest threat of becoming
stagnant and unappealing. ‘We are definitely working
on some exciting product extensions and we are also
placing some focus on our international expansion.’
I can imagine many a bar and night club with the air
abuzz as customers sample the aromatic flavours of
The Duchess for the first time and then choose to
have it be their go to drink. The promise of innovation
and continued good taste will see The Duchess added
to menus in pubs and clubs across the country and
eventually, all over the world.
EDITÉUR PLUS / THE FOURTEENTH ISSUE