All stories start at the beginning.
Ours about BFUK Gin begins in November 2018. While we were away for a weekend, our good friend and mentor, Deon Behrens said he wanted to stock a funky T-shirt at Modern & Tribal. At the time, his shop was located in a beautiful space in Long Street, Cape Town. We had to be honest: we knew very little about fashion. But Deon didn’t take no for an answer. He believed that we’d come up with something, and we did.
Four letters. B. F. U. K. Bold. Free. Unique. Kind.
We spent time developing and creating our own – although basic – design for BFUK. Next, we sourced T-shirts from a local supplier and found a business that could screen print. BFUK went into production and was soon available exclusively at Modern & Tribal.
The Covid-19 lockdown, meant to last 21 days, soon had a devastating impact on businesses worldwide. Borders were closed, shops were shut down. Deon had to make the difficult decision to close his store (it’s now moved entirely online). We thought this was the end of BFUK – and for some time, it was. But there was always a spark, and we spent many evenings through lockdown talking about what the next chapter would be.
T-shirts… Been there, done that and, dare we say, got the T-shirt.
Coffee mugs… A bit boring for a bold brand.
A craft gin… Ha!
We realised a gin wasn’t likely to happen. South Africans will remember the alcohol prohibition that lasted about six months in 2020. The black market flourished but wine farms, distilleries and breweries suffered. We parked that thought.
Until January 2022. Although still in lockdown, we revisited the idea of launching a gin. Our own gin. We spent time researching our options, believing this would be nothing more than a pipe dream. Luckily for us, it was not!
We found the perfect gin distiller to partner with, we worked together to create a gin we loved and, finally, we refreshed our logo and branding.
In June 2022, we bottled our first batch of BFUK Fynbos Gin and we’re excited to share it with you.
What does BFUK mean?
Dare to be bold.
Embrace being free.
Strive to be unique.
Always be kind.
Looking back over the years, we’ve subconsciously lived the BFUK ethos, and you could say our life story is underpinned by BFUK.
Bold – in everything we do, we always ask, why not?
Free – we have the freedom to do things that move us out of our comfort zone.
Unique – our idea of what family is is what makes us unique.
Kind – in everything we do, we should always lead with kindness; everyone has their own struggles which are no less significant than our own.
Live to be BFUK. Live as BFUK.
Alcohol is not for sale to persons under the age of 18. Don’t drink and drive. Enjoy responsibly.