A keen interest in wine, combined with an independent spirit, is what propelled KwaMashu-born entrepreneur, Jay Nkosi to a path that birthed a flourishing wine brand called JNW (Jay Nkosi Wines).
Founded in February this year, JNW’s selection of wines is a reflection of a constantly growing world of the winery industry. With exquisite red and white wines sourced from the best vineyards in South Africa, each bottle carries Nkosi’s seal of approval.
Their main objective is producing distinctive wines with quality, consistency and longevity through prospective attention to detail.
Nkosi cites his mentor (who owns a wine company in the Western Cape) as his greatest motivator. He says that the mentor believed in his abilities and saw his passion for the wine business, therefor encouraging him to use his knowledge and drive; and has been a part of the wine scene for almost seven years, Nkosi fully understood what the industry was all about.
However, having years of experience and understanding the industry did not guarantee smooth sailing. The passionate business owner says his roughest patch was winning clients over, especially in an industry with a plethora of already existing brands.
Overcoming this hurdle was accomplished through working with what Nkosi believes is the best marketing team.
Today, JNW enjoys a great client base and has been a part of a number of wine tasting events, which have made the brand very popular amongst wine lovers. Furthermore, the business now has two managers and six other employees and each member of the team is professionally trained, educated and is an enthusiastic wine taster or drinker.
Asked to give one word to describe owning his own business, Nkosi says “that word would have to be LIBERATING”, and adds that with great freedom comes responsibilities because there is no one to hide behind when things go pear-shaped.
For this reason, he spends a lot of his time visiting vineyards and also developing long relationships with his suppliers while sourcing new talent and exciting products for his brand.
Mentioning Bonang Matheba’s recent move in launching her very own champagne brand, House of BNG, Nkosi says that he couldn’t be more proud and is very happy to see a black woman owning her own brand.
“I don’t do the competition, I build. I believe that as entrepreneurs, we are here to create jobs not competition,” he says.
Nkosi is currently working on redesigning the New JNW work premises in Polokwane, Limpopo, which he says will look a lot smarter. With the imminent growth of the brand, he is looking to grow his team and also operate the business in the Gauteng Province, whilst ensuring that all South African outlets have JNW in stock.
“I see my brand being enjoyed by the likes of Floyd Mayweather and JayZ,” he laughs.
To order a bottle of JNW, send an email to: orders@jnwines.co.za or call 087 510 5162 WhatsApp +27 60 600 0922. They deliver countrywide! You can also follow them on Facebook: JNW Wine SA
