SA wine information day looks toward 2021 and beyond

Image via 123RF

The Nedbank Vinpro Information Day, with the theme Direct Your Destiny, will be held virtually from 9am to 1pm on 21 January 2021.

"The South African wine industry will rise up again to reach its full potential following one of the toughest years yet," says Rico Basson, Vinpro MD. "At the Nedbank Vinpro Information Day we will take a look at the direction that each individual and business in our value-chain needs to take towards a more robust, competitive, profitable and sustainable industry."

The event will be hosted as two themed back-to-back sessions of 100 minutes each, with a 30-minute break. The platform is interactive and will allow attendees to ask questions, leave comments and participate in live polls and quizzes.

Session 1: From consumer to farm

The South African wine industry’s Covid-19 recovery plan includes stimulating the demand by driving exports and reopening and growing local sales and revenue through wine tourism. Wine grape producers and wineries are also increasingly adopting a consumer-focused approach in the vineyard and cellar, while innovating for efficiency.

Lulie Halstead, CEO of Wine Intelligence, a global market research and strategy consultancy, will kick off the first session with a look at consumer trends that will continue after Covid-19, globally and in South Africa. Three years into Vinpro’s wine tourism journey, the organisation’s wine tourism manager Marisah Nieuwoudt will share milestones that contribute to building a more resilient sector in an increasingly uncertain world.

On the cusp of the 2021 harvest, Conrad Schutte, Vinpro’s consultation service manager and viticulturist, will share the wine grape crop forecast, as well as ways in which farms and cellars have become more efficient.

Session 2: The big picture

Taking a step back in the second session, two knowledgeable panels will discuss the macro-environmental factors that influence wine-related businesses, and how they can navigate these forces to ensure that they remain on course. Bruce Whitfield, renowned broadcaster, author and television presenter, will facilitate both panel discussions.

For the South African wine industry to survive and thrive, it needs to focus on the sustainability of our planet and people, while still making a profit. We take a look at what is being done, and what more can be done to improve inclusive growth, sustainability and ethical practices. To address this will be Bridgitte Backman, Distell’s director of corporate and regulatory affairs, Mzukisi Mooi, chair of the Wine and Agricultural Ethical Trading Association (WIETA) and Ronald Ramabulana, chair of the SA Wine Industry Transformation Unit (SAWITU).

The wine industry was one of the sectors hardest hit by the effects of Covid-19 in 2020. While on a slow and steady road to recovery, the second-panel discussion will look at the current state of the industry, as well as ways in which it will need to navigate through the economic and political landscape from 2021 onward. Panellists unpacking these topics include Vinpro MD Rico Basson, Nedbank Group chief economist Nicky Weimar and well-known political analyst and former editor of the Sowetan, Mpumelelo Mkhabela.

Collaborate for success

"We can only rebuild towards a stronger and more sustainable South African wine industry by forming and nurturing strategic partnerships across the value chain. Apart from their close collaboration with and support to our industry throughout this difficult year, we are grateful to once again present the Nedbank Vinpro Information Day 2021 with Nedbank as the main sponsor," says Rico.

Although being held virtually for the first time, this event will be held for the 16th year, with Nedbank involved as the main sponsor since 2006.

Daneel Rossouw, Nedbank’s divisional manager agriculture for the southern division, says that Nedbank is extremely proud to have partnered with Vinpro on this event for the past 15 years and that key partnerships such as these are vital for growing the agricultural sector.

"At Nedbank, we see agriculture as a long-term investment that plays a vital role in our economic recovery. We partner with strategic role-players to contribute to a growing, sustainable, transformed and resilient agricultural sector that ultimately contributes positively to the benefit of the country as a whole. We are particularly excited to see the focus on sustainability and ecotourism at the 2021 event, as our business values are entrenched in sustainability and using our financial expertise to do good," says Daneel.

"We encourage every individual working in the South African wine industry’s value-chain to attend the first-ever virtual Nedbank Vinpro Information Day, which will help guide them, and our industry as a whole, towards a grander destiny," says Rico.

Registration closes 15 January 2021.