Kumi Arhin of Ofori Brothers Wine
Kumi Arhin is doing something new in wine: he's bringing the flavors of his homeland in Ghana to American wine, offering a Riesling made with Lake Erie region grapes accented by Ghanaian ginger. His innovative Ofori Brothers Wine honors winemaking tradition but caters to members of the West African diaspora in the U.S., providing familiar flavors that speak of home.
The name Ofori Brothers harkens back to his family's background in cocoa production in Ghana in the early twentieth century. The Ofori brothers were quire successful in that trade, and he wanted to honor them with this new project. Kumi recently won Crafted For Action's Crafted Fellows microgrant competition, and he has more unique wines planned (a rosé with hibiscus is on the horizon).
In this interview, Kumi talks about how his family's legacy in cacao has impacted his current venture in wine, the significance of including a flavor ingredient from Ghana in a American wine and how that helps him reach new audiences, and the importance of storytelling along the way.
You can learn more about Ofori Brothers Wine and order bottles here.
Check out David's book Pairing Beer & Chocolate: A Guide to Bringing the Flavors of Craft Beer and Craft Chocolate Together.
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The music for this episode is by my dear friend, indie folk musician Anna ps. You can find out more about Anna’s music in the show notes or at her website annapsmusic.com, where you can also get in touch to book them to play at your brewery or other establishment.
Guest:
Kumi Arhin
Kumi Arhin is a Ghanaian-American entrepreneur, engineer, and founder of Ofori Brothers Wine, a brand that redefines premium wine through the bold, expressive flavors of Africa. Inspired by his family’s legacy in Ghana’s early cocoa trade, Kumi blends heritage with innovation to craft culturally rooted, sensorially distinct wines. His debut release, a ginger-infused Riesling, launched at the beginning of 2025, quickly sold out, and recently won the top prize at the Crafted for Action pitch competition.
By day, Kumi works at the intersection of technology and culture as a Partner Engineer at YouTube Music. He previously founded a Y Combinator-backed edtech startup that reached over a million users globally. A Columbia University alum with a background in software engineering and product design, Kumi now channels his technical and entrepreneurial experience into building a wine label that connects diasporic legacy, flavor, and storytelling.