Anele’mabhele Palesa Shabangu is entering a new era of entrepreneurship with The BAWSS Cellar, a luxury sparkling wine brand built on celebration, confidence and the belief that success should create an impact beyond business.
For Anele, every bottle of The BAWSS Cellar represents more than luxury. It represents a journey of purpose, resilience and the belief that dreams can become reality when they are built with intention.
The entrepreneur, founder of the BAWSS Foundation and creator of The BAWSS Cellar, has expanded her brand into the premium sparkling wine market, introducing a proudly Eswatini-owned lifestyle brand that she hopes will inspire people to celebrate life’s victories, both big and small. The launch marks another milestone in Shabangu’s entrepreneurial journey, one that has been shaped by empowerment, community upliftment and her desire to create brands that carry meaning.
“The BAWSS Cellar was born from my desire to create a proudly Eswatini luxury brand that celebrates life’s everyday moments,” she said. “For me, celebration isn’t only about weddings, birthdays or major milestones, it’s about celebrating the simple gift of waking up each morning, overcoming challenges and embracing life.”
The idea behind The BAWSS Cellar began developing several years ago as she continued building the BAWSS brand into a name associated with confidence, ambition and excellence. Shabangu wanted to create something that represented elegance while remaining relatable to people who understand the importance of celebrating personal achievements.
“I wanted to create something elegant, premium and accessible that people could genuinely connect with. Today, that vision has become The BAWSS Cellar,” she said.
Turning that vision into a physical product required patience, research and a willingness to learn a completely new industry. Shabangu explained that building a beverage brand involves far more than selecting a product. It requires understanding regulations, securing trademarks, negotiating with suppliers, developing packaging and ensuring that every element reflects the brand’s identity.
“We’ve travelled to wine farms, met with producers and carefully studied every part of the process to ensure we build a sustainable business,” she said.
The journey, she added, has been one of constant growth.
“It’s been a journey of patience, learning and constantly improving, and we’re still committed to making the brand even stronger,” she said.
The BAWSS Cellar is a premium sparkling wine brand offering sparkling wines as well as Méthode Cap Classique (MCC), giving customers a luxury experience for different occasions. However, for Shabangu, the brand is not only about the beverage itself. It is about the emotions, memories and confidence attached to every celebration.
“We’re not simply selling sparkling wine — we’re selling a lifestyle centred around confidence, celebration, ambition and elegance,” she said.
The wines are sourced from experienced producers in South Africa’s recognised wine regions, where generations of expertise contribute to quality production. As a proudly Eswatini-owned brand, Shabangu said she wanted to work with partners who could deliver international standards while allowing her to create a product with a distinct identity.
“Our wines are sourced from experienced producers in South Africa’s renowned wine regions, where generations of expertise ensure exceptional quality,” she explained. “As a proudly Eswatini-owned brand, we wanted to partner with producers who meet international quality standards while allowing us to build a unique brand identity that resonates with our market.”
For Shabangu, every part of The BAWSS Cellar has been carefully considered, from the taste and packaging to how customers experience the brand.
“Every decision centred around one question: ‘How do we make people feel?’” she said. The answer, she believes, is confidence, sophistication and the feeling that every achievement deserves recognition.
The BAWSS Cellar is also an extension of the wider BAWSS vision that Shabangu has built over the years.
“BAWSS has always stood for confidence, ambition, excellence and believing that anything is possible,” she said.
The same values have guided her work through the BAWSS Foundation, an initiative dedicated to fighting period poverty and restoring dignity among girls and women across the country. Established more than five years ago, the foundation has worked with organisations, businesses and individuals to distribute dignity packs and sanitary products, helping thousands of girls stay in school and women regain confidence.
“Our mission remains simple: every girl deserves dignity, opportunity and the chance to reach her full potential,” she said.
Shabangu’s commitment to uplifting others is deeply personal and has been influenced by the lessons she received from her late mother.
“My late mother taught me resilience, strength and compassion. She faced life’s challenges with courage and always encouraged us to believe in ourselves,” she said.
Although her mother is no longer with her physically, Shabangu said the values she learnt continue to guide the way she leads, builds businesses and serves communities.
“Even though she’s no longer with us physically, I carry her lessons with me every day. Her strength continues to inspire how I lead, how I build businesses and how I serve others through the BAWSS Foundation,” she said.
For Shabangu, entrepreneurship and social impact cannot be separated. She believes that successful businesses should create opportunities and contribute positively to society.
“The stronger my businesses become, the greater my ability to create opportunities, give back and uplift communities,” she said. “Success isn’t only measured by profit; it’s measured by how many lives you positively influence along the way.”
Like many entrepreneurs, Shabangu’s journey has come with challenges. Expanding into the beverage industry required navigating unfamiliar territory, including funding challenges, supplier negotiations and learning new systems. However, she believes those challenges have strengthened her.
“Those experiences have taught me patience, resilience and the importance of building strong relationships. Every obstacle has become an opportunity to learn, improve and build a stronger business,” she said.
Her motivation comes from a deeper sense of purpose. For Shabangu, creating businesses is about more than personal achievement.
“I’m driven by purpose,” she said. “I genuinely believe that I was created to build, inspire and create opportunities — not only for myself but for others as well.”
She believes every new venture is an opportunity to solve problems, create jobs and show young people that success is possible.
“Start before you feel ready. Don’t wait for perfect conditions because they rarely exist,” she said. She believes consistency, courage and discipline are important in building brands that stand out.
“Keep learning, remain consistent, build a brand with integrity and don’t compare your journey with anyone else’s,” she added.
Looking ahead, Shabangu has ambitious plans for The BAWSS brand. She hopes to see The BAWSS Cellar grow into one of Africa’s leading premium lifestyle beverage brands, expanding into more retail stores, hospitality venues and regional markets.
“We want BAWSS to become synonymous with celebration, luxury and proudly African excellence,” she said.
However, when people look back at her journey, Shabangu hopes they remember more than the businesses she created.
“I hope people remember that I built more than businesses — I built hope,” she said.
She wants her story to stand as proof that a young woman from Eswatini can create internationally respected brands while remaining committed to changing lives.
“If my journey inspires one young person to believe in themselves, pursue their dreams and understand that success and kindness can exist together, then I will have achieved the legacy I set out to create,” she said.
Beyond the sparkling wine, the brands and the business achievements, Anele Shabangu’s story is about purpose. It is about building something that lasts — not only in the marketplace, but in the lives of the people she hopes to inspire.
As a female entrepreneur, Shabangu encourages women who want to build businesses to start even when they feel uncertain.
