Introducing Biodesigned Palm Wine in the United States

Palm wine is the most popular wine you’ve probably never heard of. Even though it’s one of the oldest alcohols in the world, it has yet to grace any restaurant wine lists or liquor store shelves in the United States. Palm wine is a key component at weddings and celebrations in Africa and parts of Asia, but due to its incredibly short shelf life, it has not been able to be exported to other areas throughout the world.

Palm sap from palm different species can be collected to make palm wine. Unlike grape wines that take months or years to be ready, palm sap quickly coverts to alcohol in a matter of hours. It is milky, sweet, yeasty, and sour – opposite to grape wine in many ways. It’s good timing for palm wine to start expanding globally – consumers may have lost their taste for traditional grape wine. Consumption of grape wine is down globally, and vineyards in countries like France are destroying grape harvests.

Ikenga Wines is now harnessing the power of biotechnology to bring palm wine to the United States and beyond. By using fermentation techniques in a lab, Ikenga can actually brew wine without harvesting sap from any more palm trees. Plus, the final product is shelf stable.

Santé Magazine had the opportunity to speak to the founder and winemaker of Ikenga Wines, Onye Ahanotu. The man bringing palm wine to America is classically trained in chemistry and biologically inspired design. He grew in Northern California Wine Country as a Nigerian-American, growing up with occasional trip to visit family in Nigeria. Formally a Harvard Scientist and National Labs fellow, Ahanotu has worked on a range of environmental impact technologies ranging from biofuels to energy saving coatings.

Here’s why he started Ikenga Wines, and what the market for this product in the United States looks like:

Q: Why did you start Ikenga?

Having grown up in Sonoma County, I had the opportunity to learn about the nuance and range in grape wine. At the same time, with my cultural connection to Nigeria, I knew there were more wines out there beyond those made from grapes. With that in mind I wanted to explore traditions and flavors outside of those found in Mediterranean climates; create high quality wines that could pair well with the types of foods that I enjoy, like seafood curry, nasi lemak, and egusi soup.

With Ikenga Wines I saw a leap-frog opportunity to combine the ancient and artisanal, with a progressive technology. Ultimately, I want to see increased cultural representation on the global stage, and allow folks like myself an avenue to celebrate in ways that feel authentic and interesting.

Q: What has been consumer and retailer responses to palm wine so far?

Consumers have been quite intrigued and jump at the chance to try this category. The response is typically surprise! For those who know palm wine, they are surprised by both the sparkling format and the opportunity to share an experience with deep roots, that wasn’t available until we came along. Most new consumers don’t have a preconceived notion of what palm wine tastes like, but are delightfully surprised when they find how approachable and easy to drink that it is. After the first couple sips, many pause as they pull apart the flavors and process what they are experiencing. They often find shared characteristics to other categories that they are familiar with, ranging from the minerality of a dry French champagne, to a hint of savory that is reminiscent, for some, of sake. After processing, the next thought is how can I buy some?

3. Do you have any retailer agreements yet? If not, when will consumers be able to purchase your wine?

We’ve had some wonderful interest that has led us to offer a limited number of wine futures, available on our website, for consumers who want to be first in line to taste and share our wines with their community. For those who want to stay updated on launch timing and unique tasting opportunities, we recommend signing up for our mailing list.

We are actively evaluating culinary partners who are exploring storytelling on the cultural and future of food side of things. With the global reach of the palm wine category we have some handshake agreements with a culturally diverse group of restaurants that I’m pretty excited to share, as we get closer to launch. Retailers should check in with us at the beginning of 2024 – we’ll see what we can make happen with our limited production run.

Q: What is the price point for Ikenga wine? 

With our focus on quality and creating a unique experience, we see our sparkling format as a perfect way to celebrate special moments. From spending time with a dear friend to clinking glasses at a wedding, Ikenga Wines is here to help you to create memorable experiences. Our initial product will have a price point starting just under the $50 point.

Although Ikenga’s wine are not yet widely available throughout the U.S., you can be one of the first ones to pre-order the product. The current pre-order price is three bottles for $105. If you’re based in the Bay Area, keep an eye out for palm wine tastings with Ikenga!