Tops at Spar adds to its wine festivals

25 Jul 2011

The Soweto Wine Festival, 1-3 September 2011, has signed a three-year headline sponsorship with one of South Africa's largest liquor retail outlets, Tops at Spar, assisting the growth of the festival. This follows the group's announcement in May 2011, that it would sponsor the Gugulethu Wine Festival.

Tebogo and Thato, Lethiwe

Says Ray Edwards, CEO Tops at Spar, "The company believes the time is right to begin an association with the Soweto Wine Festival. This market is a long ignored opportunity and we look forward to improving our brand equity through this headline sponsorship."

"This event, and therefore the market, grows from strength to strength every year and Tops adds a new dimension that is important to this growth," says Marilyn Cooper, Cape Wine Master, joint founding member of the Soweto Wine Festival and MD of the Cape Wine Academy, which are the organisers of the festival. "The festival is becoming the most important wine educational event in South Africa and a trendy lifestyle event."

Wide variety of tastes

Lynton and Arthur

It is expected that in excess of 8000 visitors will be at the 2011 festival to taste styles and cultivars, while interacting with lifestyle brands or having a meal in the revamped food court that will host local Sowetan restaurants exploring a wide variety of tastes. There will be approximately 950 wines to taste this year over the three days.

Other major sponsors at the festival this year include DStv, who are also VIP Lounge sponsors for Saturday evening, City Press, Kaya FM, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and Vodacom. There will also be interactive wine lounges from Distell's 4th Street, Nederburg, KWV's Café Culture, DGB's The Saints and Distell's JC le Roux.

Growing market sophistication

Mnikelo Mangciphu, co-founding member of the Soweto Wine Festival and owner of Morara Wine Emporium in Soweto says,

Shirley and Tebogo

"The festival now caters to a large and broad market of intelligent and educated black wine drinkers, who have been drinking wine as part of their lifestyle for over six years. In fact, 51% of the festival visitors fit into this premium wine drinking market. Now only approximately 11% are new drinkers. Just six years ago these figures were reversed."

This year, the Cape Wine Academy Careers and Business Education section will provide a platform introducing visitors to careers and education in wine.

For more information, go to www.sowetowinefestival.co.za.