Locally produced Totus Limited Release Pinotage wine was crowned the Best-Buy Award winner in the Still Red Wines category.
It was unanimously voted by a panel of Chinese wine experts as the Best-Buy wine in a category of Still Red Wines valued between 4-8 Euros at the 19th edition of the SIAL China International Trade Fair for Food which ended in Shanghai, China.
Trajan Wines, producers of the wine, was part of a twenty-three-member business delegation that was taken by the Department of Trade and Industry to China through government’s Export Marketing and Investment Scheme (EMIA) incentive to showcase local agro-processing products and services.
The EMIA provides South African exporters with marketing assistance to develop new export markets and grow existing markets and helps to identify new markets through research.
Trajan Wines managing director, Mark van Schalkwyk said the Totus Limited is a Pinotage which is made from a 100% South African grape.
“I hope that this vote of confidence from the Chinese will translate into growth in exponential value for this particular wine. This award definitely means we are on the right path if you look at the style of wine we produce for this particular market,” said Van Schalkwyk.
He also mentioned that he had since secured a contract with Japanese importer and distributor to export his range of wines to Japan.
“I met a distributor while exhibiting at Japan Foodex during March this year. As soon as we have covered all the requirements we will commence with our first shipment. It is my hope and wish that my product will progressively grow into the Asian market and I will incorporate this accolade that I have won at SIAL into my marketing strategy going forward,” he said.
Earlier, another South Africa company Thandi Wines secured a one-year contract with a Chinese distributor to export their range of premium wines to China.
The contract was agreed upon on the margins of the 19th SIAL China International Trade Fair for Food.
SIAL China is a leading platform for international producers and manufacturers of food products, wines, spirits and food service equipment where businesses directly compete for China’s lucrative food and beverage market value estimated to be valued at 1-trillion Euros.-SAnews.gov.za
