Held from 24 to 26 July at San Quentin (Shed 6) at the rustic, historically themed Prison Break Market in Glenferness, near Lonehill and Midrand, the event buzzed with visitors enjoying an impressive selection of wines and Méthode Cap Classique sparkling wines while discovering the stories behind the brands.
Visitors had the opportunity to meet the 29 winemakers exhibiting at the event, hear their stories of perseverance and innovation, and, of course, sample the results of their craftsmanship.
“The wine industry is very important to Proudly SA, especially if you consider the R56,6 billion contribution that it makes to South Africa’s GDP. It is a major economic driver for the country and also creates significant direct and indirect employment opportunities,” Jeannine van Straaten, executive of strategy, stakeholder relations and legal at Proudly South Africa (Proudly SA), told Farmer’s Weekly.
“We have wonderful wine brands that have joined us as member companies because of the market access opportunities we offer,” she added.
The fourth Proudly SA Local Wine Expo once again demonstrated that supporting local is more than simply being ‘lekker’, it is a campaign that proudly showcases the quality and diversity of South Africa’s wine industry.
Spotlight on women in wine
One of the defining features of this year’s expo was the strong presence of women entrepreneurs. A significant proportion of the participating wine brands was entirely women-owned.
Among these entrepreneurs was Siphiwe Katjene, founder and CEO of House of Azari, who shared the story behind her brand during the media launch of the Proudly SA Local Wine Expo.
“Ours is a story of passion, perseverance and precision, rooted in our name, Azari, a Hebrew word meaning divine assistance. We strive for excellence in creating our Méthode Cap Classique sparkling wines,” Katjene said.
House of Azari MCC is produced at Hoopenburg Wine Farm in Stellenbosch, with all the grapes sourced from bush vines grown on the estate.
Van Straaten said: “When we started four years ago, we attracted many small, predominantly women-owned brands. They told us about the difficulties they faced in establishing themselves in the industry and the barriers they had to overcome. Proudly SA decided that these entrepreneurs deserved opportunities to gain a foothold in the mainstream retail market. We therefore positioned the expo as a springboard into the established wine industry.”
The expo therefore provides a valuable platform to introduce their products directly to consumers and corporate buyers. Hearing the personal stories behind each label offered visitors an experience seldom available outside a visit to a wine estate. These narratives create a meaningful connection between producer and consumer, ensuring buyers remember not only the wine, but also the people and aspirations behind the brand.
Opportunity for corporate buyers
While the public enjoyed tasting different wines, the expo also served as an important business networking platform. Proudly SA hosted a dedicated buyers’ programme ahead of the public event, attracting between 35 and 40 major buyers.
“In order to ensure that our work continues throughout the year, we have a market access platform, which is a B2B non-transactional platform. Although we also offer members ShopProudlySA, our own online store, we also connect our members with other online stores,” Van Straaten said.
She added that Proudly SA has received grant funding from the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) to develop its e-commerce platform.
According to Van Straaten, the DTIC’s export branch has also awarded Proudly SA grant funding with the intention of using ShopProudlySA as a vehicle to market and export products from Proudly SA members internationally.
“We vet our companies according to four key criteria: local content, quality, safe environmental standards, and fair labour practices. So, when you buy a Proudly SA product, those are the values it represents,” she said.
Representatives from a wide range of industries attended the event to identify and engage with Proudly SA member companies. The expo created opportunities for partnerships with restaurants, boutique hotels, wholesale and retail distributors, and airport lounges seeking premium locally produced wines.
More than a wine tasting
At its core, the Proudly SA initiative encourages the public and private sectors, as well as everyday consumers, to support locally produced goods. The Local Wine Expo plays an important role in making South African products more accessible while creating valuable market access opportunities for small businesses.
Every wine showcased during the event had successfully met Proudly SA’s rigorous vetting criteria, giving consumers confidence that each bottle represents locally produced quality that meets world-class standards.
