How certification opened Bella Wine’s doors to the globe market

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The journey of Bella Wine began in 2000 when Prudence Ukkonika, inspired by her late son Godwin Ukkonika, started making wine in her kitchen. Initially, she sourced locally produced wines and sold them in Kampala.

Bella’s story is an intriguing journey of passion, grit, hard work, perseverance, and a firm belief. What started as a flicker of business inspiration has grown into two factories producing a variety of organic wines and juices.

Bella Wine factory located in Kira. (Credit: Simon Okitela)

Gap in the market

When Prudence noticed that there were no pure-natural fruit products on the Ugandan market, that was her light-bulb moment. She seized the opportunity to start producing organic fruit products, specialising in wines and juices (and halaal, for universal consumption).

Prudence worked hard to source the raw materials, process, package, market, and sell. With sheer perseverance, she not only kept the business afloat but also, as she puts it, “step-by-step I kept progressing and believing in what I was doing”.

Soon, the market started responding positively to her wines, and the kitchen became too small for production. She emptied her garage and shifted the winery there.

Again, the garage production could not cope with the increasing demand. She got a bigger space in Wandegeya, a bustling university “town” a stone’s throw away from Kampala city centre, where she ramped up daily production to 2,000 litres.

Scaling up and certification

To penetrate the market with confidence, she immediately formalised the business and changed the name to K-Roma. Over the years, Bella Wine has become a household brand in Uganda and other East African countries.

This means she harmonised operations with agencies like Uganda Business Registration Services (URSB), Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) and most importantly, the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS).

She highlights that wine certifications have become increasingly important in the wine industry over the past few decades. They are a way for individuals to gain credibility, demonstrate their knowledge and expertise, and set themselves apart in a competitive job market.

“You can’t go far if you are not business compliant. I had to formalise my business, and it has taken me very far. If you comply with business legal and regulatory frameworks, you will be okay. The acquisition of the Quality Mark and ISO certification exposed me to international markets,” Prudence added.

She explained that, whereas some entrepreneurs accuse UNBS of bribery to certify their products, this is untrue as the only payments made are the required fees charged by the bureau as stipulated by law.

“The truth is certification can be tedious, but the wait is worth it. Many people want to rush, and this is why they end up at Nasser Road, get fake marks and then their products cannot penetrate the market. I commend UNBS for the great work and for protecting the lives of many Ugandans.”

Bella Wine factory. (Credit: Simon Okitela)

Expanding market

Bella grew its market share doggedly. Now, Bella products are found on supermarket shelves in Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, South Sudan, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Prudence actively markets her products in various forums near and far. She says, although she first boarded a plane at the age of 45, now she is a frequent traveler who leaves no opportunity for pushing her brand globally.

It has also enabled her to increase production at the factory level annually to match the ever-growing customer base seeking to enjoy her products locally and internationally.

UNBS on Certification Process

According to Patricia Ejalu, the deputy executive director in charge of standards at UNBS, it’s important for those seeking certification to understand the standards under which their products fall.

She highlighted that for wine makers like Prudence, first is the product standard for wine, which guarantees the type of wine you want to produce.

Second is the food hygiene standards, which monitor the process through which the product is made, and finally, the labelling for prepackaged goods for consumer communication.

“Producers like Prudence already knew what they wanted and also understood the power of certification. Knowledge is power, and every producer should endeavour to reach out to the bureau to access relevant information,” Patricia said.

She also advised businesses to join associations through which they can easily be trained on how to undergo the certification process without being cheated or frustrated by middlemen.

Consumer testimony

Joseph Opio has been consuming wine for years, but he explained that he is always keen on the Quality Mark since there are many wine makers across the country yet not certified.

“I have been a customer of Bella Wine for some time; their quality is top notch. Wine is a sensitive product, and anyone who sells uncertified wines is not only an enemy of the people but the economy too,” Opio added.

Job creation

Currently, K-Roma employs over 50 permanent staff. The company also works with a network of farmers, primarily women, who grow fruits for the wine and juice products. In addition, Bella Wines also utilises hundreds of seasonal workers.

Awards

Bella Wines has been inundated with accolades. Here are just a few:

Uganda Manufacturers’ Association Best Small-scale Industries Award (2015)

Best Wine – People’s Choice Quality Awards (2015)

Best Wine – People’s Choice Quality Awards (2018)