MARKET DEVELOPMENT
Tourism
The domestic market development division works closely with the managers of nineteen of our wine routes to create exclusive content that draws on their inside knowledge of each region. This division also manages the Visit Winelands digital platforms to provide visitors with a comprehensive guide for exploring South Africa’s winelands.
Domestic Market
The South African wine and brandy industry, through the Wine Industry Strategic Exercise (WISE), initiated the Local Market Project as part of a new framework to drive sustainable growth. The industry aims, through the project, to be the liquor product of choice in South Africa and, in doing so, to ensure a sustainable industry across the value chain. The objective is to re-energise and revitalise the local wine market by raising the status of the category within the broader alcohol repertoire through the premiumisation of our products, by responsibly and sustainably building new customer groups and making wine more accessible to consumers, making wine the drink of choice to consumers who choose to drink, as a product of culture and as part of a balanced lifestyle and by creating sustainable growth.
The project has entailed detailed research into the respective South African consumer segments, identifying those with potential for responsible growth. Available resources to the industry include info packs, as well as a number of regional local market workshops to assist wineries to tap into these markets.
Export Market
The export market development will be managed in collaboration with Wines of South Africa. Wines of South Africa (WoSA) is a fully inclusive body, representing all South African producers of wine who export their products. WoSA, which was established in its current form in 1999, has over 500 producers on its database, comprising all the major South African wine exporters. It is constituted as a not-for-profit company and is totally independent of any producer or wholesaling company. It is also independent of any government department, although it is recognised by the government as an Export Council.
Global Market Access
We establish and maintain regular contact with the government (key relationship with DALRRD and Wine and Spirit Board), associated authorities, international authorities (WWTG – World Wine Trade Group, FIVS – sustainability and the OIV) and all other trade-related committees. We forge contacts and sound relationships with key decision players/regulators to keep them informed about the wine and brandy industry’s strategic intent and any policy concerns, with a clear mandate to improve and expand global trade/market access through addressing issues such as tariff barriers, non-tariff barriers, logistics and all international trade-related activities/agreements like AGOA, both the EU/UK EPA agreement and the AfCFTA. We also focus on market imbalances and government collaboration (across departments/provinces) and actively support WoSA and the strategic export initiatives
Brandy
South African brandy today is acknowledged to be the world’s finest. Comprehensive legislation and a proud tradition ensure that our brandy is of the highest quality. The title of Worldwide Best Brandy at the International Wine and Spirits competition has been awarded to a South African brandy 15 times in the past 20 years. South Africa Wine works in collaboration with the South African Brandy Foundation on matters concerning the wine industry.