United Kingdom

Magnavai Janjo

Magnavai (‘Mags’) is the Founder and Sales Director of MJ Wine Cellars. Moving to the UK in 2006 at the age of 15 from Cameroon, Mags was inspired to enter the wine industry by his stepfather’s experience developing a wine company. Beginning with sales roles in the industry, including positions at Majestic, Waitrose and later Roberson, Mags progressed inexorably through his WSET qualifications, passing them all first time and gaining a Merit for his DipWSET in 2017. Mags’ ultimate goal has always been the MW, and in 2017 he enrolled on the course. Alas, his first attempts were not successful, with Mags remarking that he “was utterly crushed” when he did not pass it first time. Not one to be deterred for long, however, Mags subsequently decided to take a break from studying, falling in love with wine all over again through a variety of different projects: founding MJ Wine Cellars, his own company that supplies an eclectic selection of characterful wines; branching into wine education, beginning to teach at the WSET’s flagship London School in Bermondsey; and even having a go at wine-making in the South of France. All of this, combined with the onset of more free time due to the Coronavirus lockdowns, has given Mags a renewed sense of confidence and enthusiasm to give the MW another try, now further aided by his Golden Vines MW Scholarship. Mags’ passion for study also extends to a passion for leading positive change in diversifying the wine world. In 2020, in partnership with Jancis Robinson OBE MW, Mags founded BAME Wine Professionals, a web directory of People of Colour working in the UK wine trade, that has already seen success in encouraging businesses to ameliorate their diversity and inclusivity.