AFRIKAANS VERSION FOLLOWS AFTER ENGLISH
The South African Wine Industry Transformation Unit (SAWITU) recently announced the development of a brand home for black-owned wine brands, which will be hosted in the Tasting Room and Cellar Complex at the Agricultural Research Council’s Nietvoorbij Campus in Stellenbosch. This project, which will provide market access for black-owned brands into the local and international markets, is a collaborative initiative with the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) and the Western Cape Department of Agriculture (WCDoA).
An integrated approach
The project has an integrated empowerment approach. “Our approach challenges the slow pace of transformation’s status quo. Not only will the individual brands share facilities and business space, they will also be assisted and mentored by an expert supply chain management company we appointed to manage the day to day operations of the facility and the route-to-market strategy plan“, says Wendy Petersen, Operations Manager of SAWITU.
SAWITU sourced black-owned service providers for this project. “True transformation happens when we include B-BBEE preferential procurement suppliers into the wine value chain and ensure that economic benefits are far-reaching, creating growth and sustainability,” says Petersen.
Next Generation Beverages Group (NGBG) is a 100% black-owned distribution company and has positioned themselves as a service provider in the South African wine industry. NGBG will provide a four-tier service to SAWITU, which includes the management of the tasting- and e-commerce facility, supply chain and logistics management and the route-to-market offering. They will also manage the contractual agreements with wine brands and other operational service providers.
“At Next Generation Beverages we pride ourselves on delivering service excellence and we are very proud and excited to be chosen as partners in this first and pioneering initiative led by the SA Wine Industry Transformation Unit”, says Prem Naidu, Managing Partner of Next Generation Beverages.
The owners bring with them a wealth of knowledge and more than two decades’ experience of global sales and marketing in the wine and liquor industry. They have been assisting the brands with their individual, target-specific sales and marketing strategies in preparation for occupancy at the brand home.
A new e-commerce platform, that will allow B2B (business to business) and B2C (business to consumer) sales from the premises, was developed by Winecolumn.co.za, a renowned and trusted Wine & Spirits e-commerce specialist in the wine industry. The development of the e-commerce platform was funded by the WCDoA, who supported the Brand Home initiative from the start.
“I am very excited about this development. It is an open secret that the South African wine Industry is very strategic for the economy and the e-commerce initiative will not only deepen consumer awareness about the black-owned brands but will also allow them to sell their excellent products using this platform. This is essential for our economic recovery and the sustainability of these SMME’s will strengthen their continued participation in the value chain – thereby, contributing to economic growth,” says Dr Mogale Sebopetsa, Head of Agriculture in the Western Cape.
“We are truly honoured to be at the forefront of transformation through e-commerce and tech development. We believe this initiative will be a model to inspire and encourage other developed wine markets worldwide to advance diversity”, says Nkonzo Mbetha from Winecolumn.co.za
As the Brand Home is hosted in a historic building, the renovations must be done within the required legislative framework. HB Architects, in collaboration with RB Building Services, has been appointed to skillfully merge the existing historic building with modern interior design.
A place of belonging
The brand home will have a warm and welcoming ambience that reflect the nature of the diverse South African people. “It will be a place where people are comfortable, feel at home and that they belong”, says Petersen.
The design includes open areas for easy flow of visitors as well as closed spaces that accommodate small groups for private tastings and business meetings. The brands will also be able to display their limited edition and special release wines in a designated area.
The name of the facility and the participating brands will be announced at the official launch of the Brand Home. The product offering will include a range of wines at various price points and market positioning to cater for a diverse consumer need.
“In September we celebrate our South African heritage, tourism month and the 150th anniversary of the Stellenbosch Wine Routes. It would only be right to follow these celebrations with a new beginning for our wine brands. The Brand Home will thus be launched in October 2021,” says Petersen.
Visit our website www.witu.co.za for more information about SAWITU and follow us on Facebook (@WITURSA), Twitter (@witu_sa) or LinkedIn (SA Wine Industry Transformation Unit).
Photo caption:
FLTR: Dr Caleb Oluwafemi, ARC Research Team Manager: Post-Harvest and Agro-Processing Technologies, Mrs Derusha Crank, ARC Marketing & Communications, Mrs Wendy Petersen, SAWITU Operations Manager, Dr Bongani Ndimba, Senior Research Manager: ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij and Mr Prem Naidu, Managing Partner: Next Generation Beverages.
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Nuwe handelsmerktuiste vir wynbedryf het ‘n geïntegreerde bemagtigingsbenadering
Die Suid-Afrikaanse Wynbedryf Transformasie-eenheid (SAWITU) het onlangs die ontwikkeling van ‘n handelsmerktuiste vir wynhandelsmerke in swart besit aangekondig, wat in die Proelokaal- en Kelderkompleks by die Landbounavorsingsraad se Nietvoorbij-kampus in Stellenbosch gehuisves sal word. Hierdie projek, wat marktoegang vir handelsmerke in swart besit in die plaaslike en internasionale markte sal verskaf, is ‘n gesamentlike inisiatief met die Landbounavorsingsraad (LNR) en die Wes-Kaapse Departement van Landbou (WKDvL).
‘n Geïntegreerde benadering
Die projek het ‘n geïntegreerde bemagtigingsbenadering. “Ons benadering daag die stadige pas van transformasie se status quo uit. Die indivuduele handelsmerke sal nie alleenlik fasiliteite en besigheidsruimte deel nie, hulle sal ook bygestaan en gementor word deur ‘n kundige voorsieningskettingbestuursmaatskappy wat ons aangestel het om die dag tot dag operasionele bestuur van die fasiliteit en die roete-na-mark strategieplan te bestuur”, sê Wendy Petersen, Operasionele Bestuurder van SAWITU.
SAWITU het diensverskaffers in swart besit vir hierdie projek verkry. “Ware transformasie gebeur wanneer ons BBSEB-voorkeurverkrygingsverskaffers in die wynwaardeketting insluit en verseker dat ekonomiese voordele verreikend is, en dat dit groei en volhoubaarheid skep,” sê Petersen.
Next Generation Beverages Group (NGBG) is ‘n 100% swartbeheerde verspreidingsmaatskappy en het hulself as diensverskaffer in die Suid-Afrikaanse wynbedryf geposisioneer. NGBG sal ‘n viervlak-diens aan SAWITU lewer, wat die bestuur van die proe- en e-handel fasiliteit, die voorsieningsketting en logistieke bestuur en die roete-na-mark aanbod insluit.
Hulle sal ook die kontraktuele ooreenkomste met wynhandelsmerke en ander operasionele diensverskaffers bestuur.
“By Next Generation Beverages is ons trots daarop om diensuitnemendheid te lewer en ons is baie trots en opgewonde om gekies te word as vennote in hierdie eerste en baanbrekersinisiatief onder leiding van die SA Wynindustrie Transformasie-eenheid,” sê Prem Naidu, besturende vennoot van Next Generation Beverages.
Die eienaars bring ‘n magdom kennis en meer as twee dekades se ervaring van globale verkope en bemarking in die wyn- en drankbedryf saam met hulle. Hulle het die handelsmerke bygestaan met hul individuele, teikenspesifieke verkoops- en bemarkingstrategieë ter voorbereiding van okkupasie by die handelsmerkhuis.
‘n Nuwe e-handelplatform, wat B2B (besigheid tot besigheid) en B2C (besigheid tot verbruiker) verkope vanaf die perseel moontlik maak, is ontwikkel deur Winecolumn.co.za, ‘n bekende en betroubare wyn & spiritus e-handel spesialis in die wynbedryf. Die ontwikkeling van die e-handelplatform is befonds deur die WKDvL, wat die Handelsmerktuiste-inisiatief van die begin af ondersteun het.
“Ek is baie opgewonde oor die ontwikkeling. Dit is ‘n ope geheim dat die Suid-Afrikaanse wynbedryf baie strategies vir die ekonomie is en dat die e-handelsinisiatief nie net verbruikersbewustheid oor die handelsmerke in swart besit sal verdiep nie, maar hulle ook sal toelaat om hul uitstekende produkte met behulp van hierdie platform te verkoop. Dit is noodsaaklik vir ons ekonomiese herstel en die volhoubaarheid van hierdie KMMO’s sal hul voortgesette deelname aan die waardeketting versterk – en sodoende bydra tot ekonomiese groei,” sê dr Mogale Sebopetsa, hoof van landbou in die Wes-Kaap.
“Ons is werklik geëerd om aan die voorpunt van transformasie te wees deur e-handel en tegnologie-ontwikkeling. Ons glo hierdie inisiatief sal ‘n model wees om ander ontwikkelde wynmarkte wêreldwyd te inspireer en aan te moedig om diversiteit te bevorder,” sê Nkonzo Mbetha van Winecolumn.co.za
Aangesien die Handelsmerktuiste in ‘n historiese gebou gehuisves word, moet die opknappings binne die gebou aan ‘n vereiste wetgewende raamwerk voldoen. HB Argitekte, in samewerking met RB Building Services, is aangestel om met die nodige vaardigheid die bestaande historiese gebou met moderne interieurontwerp saam te smelt.
‘n Plek van behoort
Die handelsmerkhuis sal ‘n warm en verwelkomende atmosfeer hê wat die aard van die diverse Suid-Afrikaanse mense weerspieël. “Dit sal ‘n plek wees waar mense gemaklik is, tuis voel en voel dat hulle behoort,” sê Petersen.
Die ontwerp sluit oop areas vir maklike vloei van besoekers in sowel as geslote ruimtes wat klein groepies vir private proe-sessies en besigheidsvergaderings akkommodeer. Die handelsmerke sal ook hul beperkte uitgawe en spesiale vrystellingswyne in ‘n aangewese area kan vertoon.
Die naam van die fasiliteit en die deelnemende handelsmerke sal by die amptelike bekendstelling van die handelsmerktuiste aangekondig word. Die produkaanbod sal ‘n verskeidenheid wyne teen verskeie pryspunte en markposisionering insluit om voorsiening te maak vir diverse verbruikersbehoeftes.
“Ons vier ons Suid-Afrikaanse erfenis, toerismemaand en die 150ste herdenking van die Stellenbosch Wynroete in September. Dit sal net reg wees om hierdie vieringe te volg met ‘n nuwe begin vir ons wynhandelsmerke. Die handelsmerktuiste sal dus in Oktober 2021 bekendgestel word,” sê Petersen.
Besoek ons webwerf www.witu.co.za vir meer inligting oor SAWITU en volg ons op Facebook (@WITURSA), Twitter (@witu_sa) of LinkedIn (SA Wine Industry Transformation Unit).
Foto onderskrif:
VLNR: Dr Caleb Oluwafemi, LNR Navorsing Spanbestuurder: Na-oes en Agro-Prosessering Tegnologie, Me Derusha Crank, LNR Bemarking en Kommunikasie, Me Wendy Petersen, SAWITU Operasionele Bestuurder, Dr Bongani Ndimba, Senior Navorsingsbestuurder: LNR Infruitec-Nietvoorbij en Mnr Prem Naidu, Besturende Vennoot: Next Generation Beverages.
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