DJ Sbu: MoFaya Is “The Best Taste In Energy Drink In The Market”

From next weekend, South Africans will taste the homemade energy drink called MoFaya, courtesy to DJ Sbu – real name Sbusiso Leope.

Last month, October, the entrepreneur unexpectedly announced his new energy drink business – MoFaya: the local brand that has been in the making for the past 3 years; the local brand that will take at least 100 students to university from 2016 and create at least 100 entrepreneurs in each province per year.

This was a pleasant surprise to many, who welcomed Leope’s new venture with a standing ovation. The TV and radio presenter – a natural leader who is also known for his incomparable  marketing skills, which helped his bestselling book “Leadership 2020” to become the most talked about books in Mzansi last year – started pushing MoFaya on social media.

As expected, it has been in a dominance position on the daily topics, making millions before it even goes on sale.

“We haven’t even sold a single CAN, but the value that we have for the business is now worth a little over 6 million rand – based on different things,” DJ Sbu told Metro FM colleague and talk show host, Rams Mabote, on Tuesday evening.

He added: “I think a lot of entrepreneurs make that mistake of going to work hard and putting together a business plan, just putting in their money, just thinking that everything is going to work in the market without having tasted it. And I’m one of those people that are very good on the street.”

It is not a secret the Tembisa-born artist’s DNA is in the entertainment business, but why venture into energy drink business?

“There is a big space; there is 33 peers in the market and there isn’t any 100% black owned; there isn’t any South African black player. It is an over 700 billion business, which means over the past 10 years over 100 billion rand has left this country to other countries,” said Friends Like These presenter.

Although the motivational speaker is aware of the competition, the excited Leope, 37, who confidently believes his product will shake the industry, said: “We are not sympathetic, we’re not asking for a hand out, we are not saying buy because we are the only first black 100% energy drink in the country, but we feel and, we actually think, based on the research that we have done, we have the best taste in energy drink in the market.

“We feel we’re very highly competitive because this is not just the energy drink, this is the beverage company that we have just started.”

With a lot of people that constantly complain about the government’s lack of funding, Sbusiso reckons people should focus on coming up with solutions and stop playing the blame game.

“Instead of us blaming the government I feel entrepreneurs, or let me put it this way, social entrepreneurs are people that come up with solutions that help the government help its people while they make money out of it and people benefit. And it’s a win win situation.”

The face of MoFaya brand didn’t start this brand alone. There are other dedicated faces behind the scene that have played a measure role to make this dream becomes a reality.

“There is 8 of us that have actually started this brand. So amongst ourselves, we are speaking about 97 years collective experience. You’re talking about 2 PHDs, you’re talking about 3 MBEs, you’re talking 3 females in our team, you’re talking about strategies, you’re talking to marketers, you’re talking about an attorney, a legal guy, you’re talking about one of the guys who was part of the founding team of Cell C, you’re talking about a very strong intellectual, intelligent team.

MoFaya will be available in the market from 01 December 2014.