One half of Yamama Gemmer’s founding sisters, Ms Mosibudi Makgato says that the general shift from consuming carbonated sugary drinks has perfectly placed her range of ginger beverages in good position to tap into the European beverage sector.

Makgato’s Yamama Gemmer is part of the 38 South African enterprises that are showcasing their products and services at the 27th edition of the Salon International de l’alimentation (SIAL) international Food Innovation Exhibition that officially opened in Paris, France yesterday.

Makgato, who goes by the title of ‘Master of Brewing’ says the genesis of Yamama Gemmer took place in 2010 when she and her sister, Ms Rosemary Padi were experimenting with a catering business, servicing events that they had dubbed MMM (Mekete, Manyalo, Mafu) meaning Parties, Weddings and Funerals.

“It was during a time when we had hosted a wedding ceremony and had decided to introduce ginger beer as part of our offerings for that event. We began noticing that ginger beer was flowing more than alcoholic beverages. That was when we realised that this concept of ginger brewing which is a trait passed onto us by our mother, had a potential for commercial success. We also loved the idea because it had a nostalgic element to it and that was when we realised that there was indeed a gap in the market for ginger beer beverages,” said Makgato.

Makgato’s Yamama Gemmer is sold in both concentrated and in ready-to-drink form and is marketed as a healthy lifestyle drink for everyone and for all occasions.

“The motivation behind choosing SIAL Paris as a destination of choice for launching our range of ginger beer was born out of a mini research we had conducted on European tourists that had visited the Constitutional Hill in Johannesburg.

The tourists took a remarkable liking to our drink and had positively commented on its health benefits. That was when the idea to explore international markets for our drink came and by being here in SIAL Paris, we are not only looking at making an impression within the French market but also to Europe in its entirety,” she said.

In addition, Makgato outlined her long term goals as setting up a competitive network in South Africa that will compete with leading soft drink companies. This will be followed by taking her product to the rest of Africa.

“We are still exploring the feasibility of producing the ginger organically. We are also going to dedicate a lot of time to product development and have discovered a natural preservative for longer shelf life,” said Makgato.