A Cardiff-based high fibre and low-calorie soft drink start-up has successfully launched to market thanks to new product development support from the Welsh Government’s HELIX Programme.
Bon Homie Drinks have launched their lemon and lime sparkling drink into independent hospitality businesses in south Wales as well as online, thanks to the Welsh Government’s funded support delivered by ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre at Cardiff Metropolitan University.
Founded in 2024, by siblings Wayne, Kimberly and Adrina Kadzirange, Bon Homie Drinks was established with the aim of producing a healthier soft drink inspired by the trio’s childhood in Zimbabwe and Swansea.
Wayne Kadzirange, Founder of Bon Home Drinks, said:
“When I was a little boy in Zimbabwe, we used to have lots of big family gatherings and parties at our house. My mother would always buy a couple crates of soft drinks as part of the celebrations. It’s a happy memory which has stayed with me all through my life, so I’ve always had a dream of creating my own soft drink brand.”
“Our product’s name Bon Homie means good natured, and it’s inspired by the kindness that we’ve encountered in the world, especially the communities that we grew up with in Zimbabwe and Swansea. Bon Homie also represents the good that we believe our product can do in the UK soft drinks market. That’s why our drinks are high in fibre and low calorie with real fruit juices and no added sugar.
As none of the siblings have a food manufacturing background, Bon Homie approached ZERO2FIVE for support with new product development in early 2025.
Wayne, a Biomedical Sciences graduate from Cardiff Metropolitan University, first attended ZERO2FIVE’s start-up session, where he found out about the range of Welsh Government funded support available to manufacturers though the HELIX Programme. Next, he attended a series of new product development workshops covering a range of topics, including legal labelling and the importance of writing a detailed product brief.
Wayne said:
“Every workshop I attended was so beneficial to us as a business and I’d leave each session having learnt so much new information. To other start-ups in south Wales, I’d say get in touch with ZERO2FIVE as early as you can, no matter what stage of business development you’re at. There’s so much to learn.”
Equipped with a detailed product brief, ZERO2FIVE supported Bon Homie through a series of complex new product development steps. After carrying out several rounds of ingredient research, testing raw materials and methods, creating and refining recipes in the kitchen, and assessing each product, two final recipes were developed. These met all the requirements in the brief, including the desired flavour, appearance, shelf life, health claims, and cost targets.
Finally, in preparation for product launch, the HELIX Programme supported Bon Homie with reviewing their product labelling, calculating nutritional information, sourcing commercial ingredients, and setting food safety and quality parameters such as pH and Brix.
As a result of the HELIX Programme’s support, Bon Homie launched their first product in January 2026. The siblings hope to launch their second flavour in the spring and plan to work with ZERO2FIVE to develop a third product for launch before the end of 2026.
Speaking about the benefits of the support from ZERO2FIVE, Wayne said:
“I came into ZERO2FIVE thinking we were ready to launch our product, but I quickly realised there was so much we needed to learn about new product development. With ZERO2FIVE’s fantastic support we’ve developed a recipe that is uniquely Bon Homie. I don’t think we would be in this position without ZERO2FIVE’s help – they’ve taken our idea and helped us make it a reality.”
Professor Peter Sykes, Head of ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre, said:
“Through the HELIX Programme, we offer a range of new product development support, from market insights and recipe development to sensory testing and cooking validation. Whether you’re a start-up or an established Welsh food and drink manufacturer, we’d encourage you to get in touch to find out more about the Welsh Government funded support which is available.”
