I sit down with Onye Ahanotu, founder of Ikenga Wines, to unpack his wild idea of creating an entirely new beverage category in the U.S. Onye has invented a way to make palm wine, one of the oldest beverages on earth and a staple across the global South, without the palm tree.
By bio-designing a “molecular palm sap” from different plant sources, Onye produces palm wine locally in Berkeley, California. Ikenga is a powerful example of how new forms of science can enable more decentralized production.
In this episode, we discuss:
* Why palm wine is one of the oldest wine categories most people have never heard of
* Why traditional palm wine must be consumed within 1–2 days
* How Onye bio-designs molecular palm sap from plants
* Ikenga’s decentralized, local production model
* Palm wine’s flavor profile
* Why the middle market in wine is getting squeezed
* How palm wine could become the missing pairing for global Southern cuisines
Enjoy!
Watch on YouTube; listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
Recording date: December 8, 2025
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
00:51 What Is Palm Wine?
02:47 Traditional Production Of Palm Wine
07:54 Making Palm Wine Without The Palm Tree
13:24 Onye's Journey To Making Palm Wine
19:48 Creating A New Beverage Category
21:28 Dialing In Different Flavor Profiles
24:10 Current Production Capacity
26:42 Understanding Shelf Life And Flavor Evolution
29:10 Distribution Challenges In The Alcohol Industry
32:38 Navigating Consumer Trends
38:20 Future Of Beverages
43:34 Pricing Strategy: Accessible Luxury
45:59 Developing A Technical Expertise
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Links to Onye’s Work:
* Website – https://ikengawines.com/
* Email – info@ikengawines.com
* LinkedIn (IKENGA Wines) – https://www.linkedin.com/company/ikenga-wines/
* Instagram (IKENGA Wines) – https://instagram.com/ikengawines
* Instagram (Onye) – https://instagram.com/onyeahanotu
* LinkedIn (Onye) – https://www.linkedin.com/in/onyeahanotu
Resources Mentioned:
* The False Promise of Optimization by Coco Krumme - https://www.amazon.com/Optimal-Illusions-False-Promise-Optimization/dp/0593331117
Remember to go direct!
Jordan
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