5 Pence Cape Dry Gin

Company Information

Incorporation Date: June 26, 2022

BEE: Exempted Micro Enterprise (turnover is below R10M)

Woman-Owned: No

Company Size: 1 – 5

Distribution: Retail, Bulk, Wholesale, Private Label, On trade (Restaurants, Bars, Clubs), Off trade (Supermarkets, Specialists Retailers, Independent Retailers)

Company Overview: WE DON'T PREACH ABOUT GIN, VODKA AND RUM, WE MAKE THEM. WE HAVE FOUR HAND-CRAFTED DRINKS. 5 Pence was founded by Simon von Witt at the end of 2018, who was also the founder of the Woodstock Gin Co. He discovered his passion for distilling in 2008, after spending a year in Italy, where he taught English and tasted some of the finest liqueurs and grappa on offer. He decided to learn the art of distilling and replicate these liqueurs back home in South Africa. After a few 2 years of experimenting and selling his wares at markets, he decided to start a small business. What started off as a small weekend business and ran for several years as such, became a full-time job, when he decided to embark on making gin in 2014. His passion for nature and knowledge of indigenous fynbos enabled him to ethically source the most suitable local botanicals to flavor his gins and spent several months experimenting with different combinations. He founded Woodstock Gin at the end of 2014 and managed the company along with eight full time staff members from the Western Cape to the end of 2018. At which point he decided to sell his shares and commence on a new more artisanal venture with a greater focus on exports. He came up with the name 5 Pence, which came about initially through his wife’s obsession with the name Spencer. He made promises to call a baby boy or male puppy Spencer. Needless to say, there was no baby boy called Spencer, but a new gin was borne with a similar sounding name. 5 Pence also provides a direct link between SA and the UK, which was once under British rule and during that time a bottle of spirits could be bought for the equivalent of 5 pence. It is a small yet powerful coin in the greatest empire, which inspires creativity if found by chance. 5 People are involved in the founding of the company and 5 percent is going back to the conservation of fynbos.