EXCLUSIVE: Bonang is back with more bubbles – say hello to her new sparkling wine in a can

Bonang Matheba’s luxury beverage brand, House of BNG, hits the South African market this summer season with its latest release, BNG Nectar – sparkling wine in a can. The BNG Nectar Rosé and BNG Nectar Blanc release follows the launch of her BNG Brut and Brut Rosé MCCs that came out last year, as well as the Prestige Reserve earlier this year.

The packaging of the canned wine resembles a chic and classy clutch bag, with an easy-to-carry gold rope handle. Inside you’ll find four slimline cans that are fully recyclable.

Bonang says, “I’m so excited about the House of BNG’s growth as a brand and its innovation of new products. BNG Nectar is for my kind of lifestyle. It’s perfect for adventure and on-the-go celebrations, and brings a touch of luxury and celebration to any occasion.”

In an exclusive interview, Food24 chatted to Bonang this week about her new product…

Can you describe your wine in three words?

Luxurious, delicious, premium.

Where did the inspiration come from for this range of canned sparkling wines?
More recently, the global trend had been towards convenient single-serve drinks. As we always try to innovate at the House of BNG, we felt we needed to do something that has not been in SA – a luxury true sparkling wine in a can.

What made you decide to create a brand of sparkling wines? (as opposed to any other wine)

It’s well known that champagne is my favourite drink! The House of BNG to date consists of a portfolio of MCCs, which is when the grapes undergo a double fermentation process in the bottle to ensure the natural occurrence of bubbles. With my international travels, I have noticed that, globally, single-serve occasions are on the demand – I wanted to expand this trend into South Africa.

As such, staying to true to House of BNG’s principles – serving excellence – I did not want to launch a single-serve spritzer range (wine mixed with carbonated water), but rather innovate and launch with a true sparkling wine. We chose quality grapes with a sparkle, which comes from filling the cans under immense pressure.

Given that the wine market in general is somewhat crowded, how are you standing out?

Since inception, one of the intentions of The House of BNG has been to innovate the MCC category, which has seen our Brut and Brut Rosé products become a favourite celebration partner to some of SA’s top events – namely The Sun Met, Forbes 30 Under 30, SA Sports Awards and Miss South Africa etc.

The House of BNG is proudly South African; however, our ambition is to be able to stand alongside some of the world’s finest luxury brands.

A major motivation for The House of BNG is that everything we do is driven by excellence and innovation. This is all showcased in BNG Nectar, a true sparkling wine in a can. One of the standout features is the packaging, which is inspired by my love of clutch bags. It makes the product easy to carry, is immediately iconic and recognisable, and makes the brand stand out. This is part of our goal to be the leader in this category.

Was there a steep learning curve when becoming involved in the wine industry?
In any business you dedicate yourself to, there is always a lot to learn. What makes a difference, though, is that if you have enough passion for something, you love what you do and the learning becomes second nature.

What should sceptics of canned wine know about your wine?

As mentioned, globally, single-serve drinks as a trend is growing fast and consumers are looking for convenience. BNG Nectar is a quality, easy-drinking wine perfect for those everyday occasions where convenience is key. It brings its own sense of fun, luxury and style to every occasion.

What kind of input do you have in the production of your wine?

Jeff Grief (Cape Wine Master) and I sit before every product is created and we discuss what it is that I’m looking for in a wine’s taste profile as well as the style, from dry to semi-sweet, and the size of the bubbles! After that I am of course very involved in every aspect of bringing the product to market – from packaging to marketing.

Wine surplus due to lockdown restrictions could bring prices considerably down over the next year – will this impact the retail selling price of your wine at all? 

I don’t think any of us can predict what will happen next month – let alone next year! However, I can say that the House of BNG remains committed to delivering the best value in its premium products.

Who is the target market for this new product?

Adventurous, original, confident South Africans who love to celebrate in the moment, whether in the great outdoors or at home with family and friends. Because it’s a convenient single serve, you can also monitor how much you want to drink.

How many bottles/cans of your wine do you have in your fridge at any given time?

I usually have a minimum of one of each of the MCC Brut, Rosé and Prestige Reserve – and four each of the Nectar Blanc and Rosé.

Describe your perfect summer’s day.

A lazy morning followed by a loooong brunch with close family and friends and each other’s company.

Do you have any other products in the pipeline that your fans should get excited about? 

Watch this space…

The House of BNG Nectar Blanc and Rosé sparkling wine in a can is available exclusively at Woolworths for R199. This includes four 250ml cans. The wine was made by globally acclaimed Cape Wine Master Jeff Grier, of Villiera Wine Farm in Stellenbosch.

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