Local producers of blue agave spirit, used in the production of a tequila-like drink, leave next week for Canada and the United States to conclude trade agreements and seek business partners ahead of launching into the North American market.
A delegation from Agave Distillers, which is based in Cape Town, will visit Vancouver, Los Angeles and Houston from February 6 to 14, the producers said a statement on Wednesday.
According to Keith McLachlan, chairperson of the board of directors of Agave Distillers, international interest in the South African product had been overwhelming, particularly in view of the worldwide tequila shortage.
McLachlan said the company was currently concluding a deal with a United Kingdom distributor to export 13 500 litres of the local product — bottled in South Africa as Agava Silver and Agava Gold — per month, with more deals on the cards.
He said the company would be offering shares in the company, which sold a product not manufactured ”anywhere else outside of Mexico and which has proved itself to have almost unlimited potential”.
McLachlan said in the next five to 10 years, South Africa could become a major contender in the international market, competing with the Mexican products.
Agava was not marketed as ”tequila” as this was an appellation exclusive to Mexico.
”Due to the regulations pertaining to origin only blue agave spirit produced in the Jalisco province of Mexico is allowed to be called tequila. Our product is a blue agave spirit produced from the blue agave americana, which is a close relative to the blue agave weber found in Mexico from which tequila is made,” said McLachlan.
He said the blue agave americana, which grows naturally in the wild throughout South Africa, had distinct advantages over its Mexican counterpart, since it was a much larger plant and produced a greater yield of agave juice per plant.
This juice was then fermented and distilled into agave spirit. – Sapa