Kazakhstan’s traditional drink has earned global recognition. SAF Qymyz, a conceptual branding project inspired by kumis, has won bronze at the prestigious Pentawards 2026 in London. The project reimagines the centuries-old fermented mare’s milk drink as a modern product designed to appeal to a new generation of urban consumers, DKNews.kz reports.
The award went to Kazakh brand strategist Yrysty Yerden. Winners were announced on October 16 in the British capital. The project appears in the official Pentawards listings under the name SAF Brand Concept.
From an anonymous plastic bottle to an international design award
Kumis has been part of Kazakh culture for centuries. Yet despite its deep cultural roots, its traditional presentation has struggled to keep pace with the expectations of modern consumers.
An unbranded plastic bottle or a traditional bowl served in a tourist restaurant. That is how the creators of SAF Qymyz describe the drink’s current presence in the consumer market.
Their concept offers a different perspective.
SAF Qymyz aims to bring kumis back into everyday urban life through contemporary branding, a distinctive visual identity and thoughtfully designed packaging.
The idea is to make a familiar traditional drink more appealing and accessible to younger consumers without abandoning its cultural heritage.
However, SAF Qymyz remains a conceptual project rather than a commercially launched product.
Its international recognition is therefore an achievement in branding and packaging design, not evidence of commercial sales or market success.
More than 2,000 entries from 66 countries
Pentawards is widely regarded as one of the world's leading international competitions dedicated to packaging design. The awards celebrate their 20th anniversary in 2026.
Competition was particularly strong this year:
- More than 2,000 entries were submitted from 66 countries.
- Over 700 projects made the shortlist.
- Fewer than 20% of all submissions received awards.
SAF Qymyz earned bronze in the Professional Conceptual Work — Brand Identity & Connected Packaging category.
The category recognizes professional conceptual design projects, including brand identity and packaging ideas that have not necessarily reached the commercial market.
For the Kazakh project, the award represents international recognition of a creative approach to presenting a traditional product.
It does not, however, indicate that the drink has entered mass production or secured a place on retail shelves.
The ancient drink once known as the “white wine of the steppe”
Kumis has a history that stretches back far beyond the emergence of modern beverage brands.
European travelers in the 13th century described it as the “white wine of the steppe,” reflecting the drink's long-standing place in the region's culture.
Today, kumis remains an important symbol of Kazakh identity and culinary tradition.
But cultural recognition does not automatically translate into commercial demand.
That gap is central to the SAF Qymyz concept.
Rather than presenting kumis solely as a heritage product, the designers propose positioning it as a beverage that younger urban consumers could incorporate into their everyday lives.
Packaging plays a significant role in this approach.
Even when consumers are unfamiliar with a product's cultural background, its name, visual identity and presentation can influence their first impression.
SAF Qymyz explores how contemporary design could make a centuries-old national drink relevant to a different audience.
Whether that approach could translate into commercial demand remains an open question.
What the Pentawards recognition means for Kazakh design
Yrysty Yerden's achievement demonstrates that Kazakhstan's traditional products can provide the foundation for design concepts recognized by international industry professionals.
SAF Qymyz draws its identity directly from Kazakh heritage rather than relying on an unrelated product concept.
That distinction makes the project particularly relevant to designers and entrepreneurs working with traditional foods and beverages.
A product's cultural significance can provide a compelling starting point for branding. But reaching modern consumers also requires attention to packaging, positioning and how a product communicates its value.
SAF Qymyz offers an internationally recognized example of that approach.
For businesses considering similar concepts, the distinction between design recognition and commercial viability remains essential.
Production costs, storage requirements, pricing and consumer demand would all need to be addressed before a concept like SAF Qymyz could become a widely available retail product.
For now, the achievement is clear: a branding concept inspired by Kazakhstan's traditional fermented mare's milk drink has secured bronze in a global competition that attracted more than 2,000 entries from 66 countries.
We have also previously covered another Kazakh designer who gained international recognition. Saule Beksultanova received multiple honors at the Indigo Design Awards 2023, including bronze for the packaging design of Suttea tea.
