Friends & Family,

At an age when many choose to take an off-ramp from formal work, Karen and I chose a different path. I’m often asked why Rwanda? Why now? The answer is: it’s the vision Karen had more than a decade ago when we first explored this opportunity. Then, after a careful assessment, we concluded the market wasn’t ready for a premium, locally-produced spirit. Neither were we.

Fast forward to 2021 and a new assessment uncovered a more promising business climate. Tourism numbers have grown exponentially, artisans from Rwanda have gained international attention and a focus on conferences, sports and cultural events bring thousands of business and civic leaders and athletes to Rwanda every year. A growing middle class seeks out local premium products.

Our situation had changed, too. The boys were ‘launched’ and our prior careers as a communication consultant and nonprofit executive had reached a natural transition point. We never let go of the dream of launching a distillery/agro-tourism business to produce premium craft potato vodka and stimulate job opportunities, especially for Rwandan women.

I traveled to Kigali a few weeks ago to apply for our premise license. The application is the first step to acquiring the necessary regulatory approvals to produce our vodka.  One of our stakeholders, Dr. Innocent Nyamwasa from the Rwanda Food & Drug Authority (RFDA), suggested I apply in person to ensure the application is complete. I brought along an inch-thick file folder with copies of the 15 documents to be uploaded with the application: land title, facility layout, investment certificate, notarized CV for our lead distiller, employment contract, cover letter to the director general, copies of passports, etc.

Karen and I met Dr. Innocent when we first approached RFDA in 2022 to understand the regulatory environment for spirits production.

His team evaluated our distillery designs and made recommendations to meet the agency’s health and safety standards. Innocent has consistently made himself available to advise us on policy, procedures and timing.

I felt a bit anxious as I entered RFDA’s lobby to meet Alice, who was asked to support me with the application process. It reminded me of a visit to the DMV, praying that all my car registration documents were in order. Alice, a tech-savvy young Rwandan, joined the RFDA staff a few months earlier. An hour later I hit the submit button, and Alice gave me a fist bump to celebrate what seemed like a big step forward for Virunga Mountain Spirits.   

Karen and I share a VMS Key Tasks google doc to keep us (me) organized. There are dozens of details that need to fall into place prior to our soft launch in September. A few include clearing our equipment through the port in Dar es Salaam and customs in Rwanda as well as acquisition and placement of the electrical and plumbing for all of the equipment. Construction is now 77 percent complete.

Even with everything going on in Rwanda, last week’s ‘time-out’ with family and friends to celebrate the undergraduate and graduate degrees for Kai and Eli was full of joy. It was a healthy reminder of what’s important in life.

I fell in love with the land of a thousand hills years ago, when Karen was living here with our sons. At the time, I wrote my first blog series, Commuting to Kigali, to chronicle what I learned and observed and Karen began to write Brick by Brick. We’ve come a long way since then and are loving our encore careers as entrepreneurs. #SpiritofVirunga.

All the best,

Bill