Kenyan-inspired wine ‘Muratina’ hits supermarket shelves in the UK

Muratina, a traditional Kenyan wine, has made its way onto the shelves of major retailers in the United Kingdom.

King’ori Wambaki, an Othaya-born and raised in the United Kingdom, is the man behind the creation, which he markets as honey spiced wine.

Kenya’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Manoah Esipisu, said in a tweet on Sunday that the alcoholic drink is now available for sale in the United Kingdom.

“The central Kenyan traditional alcoholic drink ‘Muratina’ is now available on UK supermarket shelves, bottled in the UK by Othaya-born businessman King’ori Wambaki, now of Cheshunt, north of London, who is targeting the expansion of Kenyan products in the UK market,” he said on Twitter.

The drink, which comes in a beautiful black and gold champagne-like bottle, has also changed its name and is now known as ‘Muratelia.’

Muratelia is a refreshing beverage that pairs with red meat and salad to offer a sweetened velvet sensation of exotic fruits and honey, according to an inscription on the bottle.

The wine, which has a 12 percent alcohol content, will set you back between Ksh. 1,500 and Ksh. 3,800.

Wambaki told a UK-based blog that the drink- made with UK-sourced ingredients and condiments- was well-received in the European market.

“Cheshunt is a town outside of London. We used ingredients that were readily available in the UK because we had not yet reached the point where we could import products from Kenya,” Wambaki explained.

Muratina is an alcoholic beverage named after the same-named fruit. The fruit comes from a tree known as the “sausage tree” (Kigelia africana) because of the long, sausage-like fruits it bears.

The fruits dangle from string-like twigs that fall from the tree branches. Individual fruits can reach a length of 60cm and weigh up to 7 kilograms.

Muratina has played a significant role in the Kikuyu community’s social and cultural practices.

This traditional alcoholic drink has been passed down through the generations and played an undisputed role in almost all social functions in Kikuyu culture, including births, initiations, marriages, and other special occasions.