July 12, 2022
Black-Owned, African Spirits Group Receives $3 Million To Bring Africa To The World’s Bar
Hailing from the UK, entrepreneurs Chris Frederick and Damola Timeyin are claiming the responsibility of bringing authentic African distilled and bottled spirits to the world’s bar.
According to a press release, the dynamic duo behind the multi-award-winning Spearhead, a Black-owned, African spirits group, has recently secured $3 million in funding from Pendulum, a strategic investment and advisory platform for founders and leaders of color. This investment propels the spirits group forward as they accelerate its global reach, enter into the United States market and reign as the first global, black-owned African spirits brand.
What’s more? More funding, new product Iines.
Launched in March 2021, Spearhead fills a gap in an industry where Black-owned, African spirits companies are few and far between. The co-founders, who met at university, saw a lack of diversity behind the bar and “thought we could change the narrative, make a product that spoke to us and highlight a unique perspective,” said Frederick, who has family origins in Ghana, per Master of Malt.
The operation, which takes liquid from South Africa to America, the UK, France, and various other countries across the world, offers a growing portfolio of premium brands that include two multi-award winning spirits Bayab Gin and Vusa Vodka.
The duo may not distill the products themselves but are very intentional in putting the “best of Africa in a bottle, to make it a pan-African product” including botanicals from Zambia, Botswana, and Madagascar, “especially the baobab, which we get from a farm in Zambia, it’s quite unique so it’s got a different kind of taste profile,” Timeyin, a British-born Nigerian, told Master of Malt.
“Our brands not only increase diversity and challenge cultural bias in the sector, but being produced on the African continent allows us to show the world what Africans have always known about its culturally and resource rich continent, with products that compete on the world stage in taste and quality, as well as innovation,” Frederick said, per the press release.
He added: “Pendulum’s investment will allow us to realise this vision globally; we are beyond excited about the partnership and their belief in this mission and the power of the African continent.”
In a joint statement, Robbie Robinson, Co-Founder and CEO, and Helen Wang, Senior Associate of Pendulum said, “We couldn’t be more excited to work with Spearhead and its founders, Chris and Damola, to amplify the story of a truly differentiated platform that aims to embody and honor the diaspora. With this investment, we’re also thrilled to partner with Kenny Burns and Donae Burston, long-time industry veterans, to propel Spearhead’s growth and launch into the U.S. market.”
Look out for Spearhead!