SA joins Britain, US and Germany in marketing plans
RAY SMUTS
DENIED THE privilege and pleasure of buying some of the country’s finest wines and brandies for many years due in the main to export exclusivity, South Africans will soon qualify following KWV’s decision to market its products locally.
The former co-operative, which commenced operations as a commercial company a mere nine months ago, has since its earliest days targeted global markets in close on 30 countries - what renowned wine scribe John Platter describes as “the starched-tablecloth and gourmet picnic drinker”.
Significant about last week’s announcement by chairperson Danie de Wet that KWV would within the next six months be ‘going South African’ is that the local market will henceforth form one of the company’s top four focus areas along with Britain, the US and Germany.
Probably one of the best-known KWV products likely to feature on the shelves of South African liquor stores is Roodeberg, an internationally-acclaimed red wine which has shown 52% growth in the US alone; the Cathedral Cellar range comprising both reds and whites; and Robert’s Rock, a lifestyle range aimed at the younger age group and performing well in Nordic and European markets.
De Wet says KWV’s status as a commercial company entitles it to determine where, when and how to sell its wines and brandy.
He has also confirmed that KWV has embarked on an extensive black economic empowerment initiative that will lead to a change in ownership of the company.
Last November, De Wet’s predecessor Lourens Jonker told shareholders that turnover had exceeded R1 billion for the first time and that the company’s growth plan aimed at doubling export volumes by next year was on target.
