Let’s face it, no one feels particularly glamorous nursing a non-alcoholic beverage while everyone else is sipping G&Ts. That’s precisely why Gladys Mawoneke developed Breva, a range of malt- and fruit-flavoured beverages with 0.0% alcohol volume.
‘Sadly, people who don’t drink alcohol are often considered party poopers. But we’re also fun loving and enjoy life!’ she insists. Breva embodies this attitude, appealing to women who are honest and authentic – or, as Gladys puts it, ‘women who define themselves rather than being defined by society’.
She conceptualised the brand in 2012, after spending several years in other small ventures. ‘Although I have a background in law, my father – a commercial tobacco farmer – always impressed upon me the importance of being an entrepreneur rather than an employee,’ she recalls. This sparked her desire to create her own business and, after gaining experience in several industries from dry cleaning to baking bread, she eventually started exporting fruit and vegetables. This led to a meeting with a like-minded businessman who wanted to establish a beverage company. Gladys ultimately applied the insights she gained here to the challenge she faced as a non-drinker who constantly felt alienated from social norms.
Market research showed there were plenty of other South African women who felt the same way. Breva – and its new sister brand, Paradise, a range of non-alcoholic G&Ts – is the only locally-produced option for these women. ‘It’s a viciously competitive industry, but people love our story, and the fact that this drink is so carefully crafted from the very best ingredients,’ Gladys says.
• Breva is available from Shoprite, Checkers and Pick n Pay, or visit breva.co.za.
