PLEASE NOTE AFRIKAANS TEXT FOLLOWS ENGLISH
The launch of The Wine Arc on 11 November 2021 signifies the start of a new beginning and growth prospects for black-owned brands. Thirteen brands, which are Aslina Wines, Bayede!, Cape Dreams, Carmen Stevens Wines, Koni Wines, La Ricmal, Libby’s Pride Wines, M’Hudi Wines, Paardenkloof Wines, Ses’fikele Wines, The Bridge of Hope Wines, Tesselaarsdal Wines and Thokozani Wines will be participating in the pilot programme that will kick off in December 2021.
In his welcome address, the chairman of the SA Wine Industry Transformation Unit (SAWITU), Mr Tshililo Ronald Ramabulana said that this is the first step to cementing the black-owned brands in the wine industry.
Carmen Stevens, speaking on behalf of the participating black owned brands stated that The Wine Arc symbolizes three turning points in the industry. “This brand home symbolizes the end of more than two decades of not having a home in the South African wine industry. It is a retail space that is friendly and accommodating and provides prospects of growth and opportunity for our brands”. Stevens further mentioned that The Wine Arc represents the past, present and future for black-owned brands in the country.
Ms Joyene Isaacs, Chairperson of the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) said that economic development is crucially important and we all need to think differently and creatively and get our hands dirty moving forward, because the challenges we are faced with on a daily basis, demand it of us. “The ARC has R12 billion in infrastructure and we need to figure out how to use it to the benefit of all South Africans. Creative partnerships such as the one with SAWITU provides the creative space for people to come into the ARC”, said Isaacs. In her congratulations to the black-owned brands, she challenged them to be unapologetic about making money via The Wine Arc and complemented the SAWITU Board for creating this platform for black-owned brands, not only in the Western Cape, but across the country.
In his address, Dr Ivan Meyer, MEC for Agriculture in the Western Cape mentioned the importance of the five priorities he identified since taking office. One of them is market access and since wine is one of the single biggest export commodities for South Africa, Dr Meyer recommitted their support by signing a continuation funding agreement for The Wine Arc E Commerce platform upon conclusion of his speech. “The Wine Arc creates optimism and worth for black-owned brands and our collaboration makes it real”, said Dr Meyer.
Ms Thoko Didiza, National Minister for Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development honored the champions in industry who have played key roles in the transformation of the wine industry, one of which is Jabulani Ntshangase, a pioneer in the wine industry. She thanked Mrs Wendy Petersen, Operations Manager of SAWITU, for her resilience, capacity to take the blows and the tenacity to stay on the course. “We need to build an inclusive industry, although we recognize the need for supporting black-owned brands and therefore the direct focus on them. However, we need to move to total inclusivity within the wine industry. At the end of the day, irrespective if you’re from a big corporate or a small winery, it’s all about wine!”
Didiza stressed the importance of working with provincial counterparts in government to increase market access on the African continent and abroad and make sure South African wines captures the markets.
The wine brands went through a stringent process of scrutiny on different levels which included commercial, marketing and technical 360 evaluation to ensure their preparedness for this programme. During the technical evaluation the brands were tasted blind against current competitor products in the market, and the brands rated high during these assessments, emphasizing the quality of the wines which will be presented on this platform.
Malcolm Green, co-owner of La Ricmal, commented on the remarkable standard of The Wine Arc facility. “La Ricmal is humbled to be chosen as one of the thirteen brands and be making history in South Africa. It took a lot of people to do this for us and there are no words to thank them properly. It is not about rands and cents, it’s about much more, and we are grateful.”
For more information about The Wine Arc follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, @thewinearc
For more information about SAWITU, visit our website www.witu.co.za and follow us on Facebook (@WITURSA), Twitter (@witu_sa) or LinkedIn (SA Wine Industry Transformation Unit).
The Wine Arc – die wegspring van ‘n nuwe begin
Die bekendstelling van The Wine Arc op 11 November 2021 dui die wegspring van ‘n nuwe begin en groeimoontlikhede vir wynhandelsmerke in swart besit aan. Dertien handelsmerke, wat insluit Aslina Wyne, Bayede!, Cape Dreams Wyne, Carmen Stevens Wyne, Koni Wyne, La Ricmal, Libby’s Pride Wyne, M’Hudi Wyne, Paardenkloof Wyne, Ses’fikele Wyne, The Bridge of Hope Wyne, Tesselaarsdal Wyne en Thokozani Wyne sal aan die loodsprogram deelneem wat in Desember afskop.
In sy verwelkomingstoespraak het die voorsitter van die SA Wynindustrie Transformasie-eenheid (SAWITU), mnr Tshililo Ronald Ramabulana gesê dat dit die eerste stap is om wynhandelsmerke in swart besit in die wynbedryf te vestig.
Carmen Stevens, wat namens die deelnemende handelsmerke gepraat het, het genome dat The Wine Arc drie draaipunte in die industrie simboliseer. “Hierdie wynhandelsmerktuiste simboliseer die einde van meer as twee dekades in die Suid-Afrikaanse wynbedryf waar ons nie ‘n handelsmerktuiste van ons eie gehad het nie. Hierdie is ‘n kleinhandelspasie wat vriendelik en akkommoderend is en vooruitsigte van groei en geleenthede vir ons handelsmerke bied. Stevens het verder genome dat The Wine Arc die verlede, hede en die toekoms vir wynhandelsmerke in die land verteenwoordig.
Me Joyene Isaacs, voorsitter van die Landbounavorsingsraad (LNR) het genoem dat die ekonomiese ontwikkeling krities belangrik is end at almal anders en kreatief moet dink en ons hande moet vuil maak soos ons vorentoe beweeg, want die uitdagings waarmee ons op ‘n daaglikse basis gekonfronteer word, vereis dit van ons. “Die LNR het R12 biljoen se infrastruktuur en ons moet uitwerk hoe om dit tot voordeel van alle Suid-Afrikaners te gebruik. Kreatiewe vennootskappe soos die een met SAWITU voorsien die kreatiewe spasie vir mense om nader aan die LNR te beweeg”, sê Isaacs. In haar gelukwensing aan die wynhandelsmerke in swart besit, daag sy hulle uit om geensins verskonend te wees omdat hukke geld via The Wine Arc maak nie en het die SAWITU raad gekomplimenteer dat hulle hierdie kreatiewe platvorm vir wynhandelsmerke in swart besit, nie net in die Wes-kaap nie, maar regoor die land, geskep het.
In sy toespraak het Dr Ivan Meyer, Minister vir Landbou in die Wes-Kaap die belangrikheid van die vyf prioriteite wat hy sedert sy toetrede as landbouminister identifiseer het, genoem. Een daarvan is marktoegang en aangesien wyn een van die grootste uitvoerprodukte van Suid-Afrika is, het Dr Meyer na afloop van sy toespraak sy ondersteuning herbevestig deur ‘n voortsettingsooreenkoms vir die befondsing van die e-handel platform vir The Wine Arc te teken. “The Wine Arc skep optimism en waarde vir wynhandelsmerke in swart besit en ons samewerking maak dit ‘n werklikheid”, sê Dr Meyer.
In haar hoofrede het me Thoko Didiza, nasional Minister vir Landbou, Grondhervorming en Landelike Ontwikkeling erkenning gegee aan die voorlopers in die industrie wat kernrolle gespeel het in die transformasie van die wynbedryf. Een van hierdie voorlopers is Jabulani Ntshangase, ‘n pionier in die wynbedryf. Sy het me Wendy Petersen, Operasionele Bestruurder van SAWITU vir haar veerkragtigheid, kapasiteit om die aanslagte te weerstaan en haar volharding om op koers te bly, bedank. “Ons moet ‘n inklusiewe industrie bou, alhoewel ons die behoefte aan ondersteuning van handelsmerke in swart besit erken en daarom direk op hulle fokus. Ons moet egter beweeg tot totale inklusiewiteit binne die wynindustrie. Aan die einde van die dag, ten spyte daarvan of jy ‘n groot korporatiewe besigheid of slegs ‘n klein wynmakery het, gaan dit alles oor wyn!”
Didiza het die belangrikheid van samewerking met die provinsiale eeknieë in die regering beklemtoon sodat marktoegang op die Afrika continent en die res van die wêreld verhoog kan word en dat daar seker gemaak word dat Suid-Afrikaanse wyn die markte se aandag trek.
Die wwynhandelsmerke het deur ‘n tawwe proses op verskillende vlakke ondergaan, wat kommersieel, bemarking en ‘n tegniese 360 evaluasie om hulle gereedheid vir hierdie program te verseker. Tydens die tegniese evaluasie het die handelsmerke ‘n blinde wynproe met kompeterende handelsmerke in die mark ondergaan en het hoë punte behaal, wat die kwaliteit van die wyne wat op hierdie platvorm aangebied word, beklemtoon.
Malcolm Green, mede-eienaar van La Ricmal, het kommentaar gelewer op die uitstaand standard van The Wine Arc fasiliteit. “La Ricmal is geëerd om gekies te word as een van die dertien handelsmerke en dat ons geskienis maak in die Suid-Afrika. Dit het baie mense gekos om hierdie vir ons op te rig en daar is geen woorde wat ons dankbaarheid kan beskryf nie. Hierdie gaan nie oor rand en sent nie, dis gaan oor baie meer as dit, en ons is opreg dankbaar.”
Vir meer inligting oor The Wine Arc, volg ons op Facebook, Twitter en Instagram @thewinearc
Vir meer inligting oor SAWITU, besoek ons webwerf www.witu.co.za en volg ons op Facebook (@WITURSA), Twitter (@witu_sa) of LinkedIn (SA Wine Industry Transformation Unit).
