BAYEDE! translated from Zulu means ‘Hail the King!’. Traditionally, it has been the salute reserved for the Zulu king. Some 200 years after it was shouted by King Shaka Zulu to unite the nations, a brand by the same name unites people in making award-winning spirits, but also in creating jobs and furthering women empowerment.
A meeting between Antionette and Ben Vermooten, and the late King Goodwill Zwelithini Khabekuzulu resulted in the founding of Bayede! back in 2009. King Zwelithini invited Antoinette to help him create jobs, as well as to assist with building income streams for women in rural areas.
Antoinette loved Zulu beadwork – an accessory common to those areas in which Zwelithini sought to make a difference. A beadwork necklace has been incorporated into Bayede!’s wines – as every bottle features beadwork around the neck. These are masterfully created by women in beading groups – many involved since the company’s inception.
This project has helped these women put food on their families’ tables, pay for their children’s educations, and much more.
To date, Bayede! has sold over 1.5 million bottles of wine, has paid more than R1.4 million towards South African beaders, and boasts the exclusive right to develop the first Royal and ‘by appointment to’ wine, spirit, and product range on the Africa continent.
Nowadays, Bayede! develops products, designs and sources products from a variety of individuals and small enterprises in an effort to help with sustainable job creation. We focus on agriculture, arts and crafts and manufacturing. There are currently 90 entities involved in Bayede! Marketing, benefiting more than 1200 people.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Bayede! started a non-profit organisation – called Bayede! Women Empowerment Foundation – which helps communities by offering responsible drinking training, and also covers issues such as domestic violence.
Its hard work has been recognised, and Bayede! was named the best SMME in the Western Cape by the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA).
Moving forward, Bayede! aims to build the brand into one that is globally recognised, and has already exported its products to countries like Russia, China, Germany, Brazil, Sweden, Canada, and India, as well as across Africa.
Bayede!’s goals extend beyond creating award-winning spirits
