launching a new range of Oak Valley charcuterie soon. During his time in Australia, he first came across the Waygu cattle on a visit to Mayura Station – the largest herd in the Southern Hemisphere. Oak Valley now boasts its own herd of 17 Waygu cattle and Chris talks proudly of the quality of his grass-fed beef.
Now settled back on the farm, Chris will be overseeing all aspects of Oak Valley’s business, but intends concentrating his initial efforts primarily on wine, as he believes this is the area with the most potential for growth. The new good-value Rawbones label is proving popular, and a re-vamp of the tasting room is planned to bring it up to date and make it more attractive to visitors, including the 100 or so mountain bikers who use the farm’s trails at the weekends. “We need to give them a good excuse to hang around for a glass or two of wine afterwards!” In terms of increasing visitor numbers, the cut-flower side of the business (they are the biggest wholesalers in the Western Cape) is also ripe for further development, with tours being planned to bring consumers out to the farm and connect them directly with Oak Valley Flowers.
With so much energy being spent on such a diverse and exciting range of projects, it comes as a surprise to find that Chris has any spare time for his favourite hobby of deep-sea fishing! But he comes from a family, which believes in continuous improvement and never stops seeking to innovate and overcome new challenges. “My father is 65 and he still loves coming to work every day. I hope to be able to fill his shoes in time and that Oak Valley will be remembered in the future for its ethos of quality and excellence, its commitment to staff and support of an enjoyable way of life.” And with that, he raises a glass of his favourite Pinot Noir to a bright future for all at Oak Valley!
For further information on Oak Valley Estate visit:
www.oakvalley.co.za
Reporting for Management Today is Justine Hewitt.
Following his business degree from UCT, he spent two years in Road Town in the British Virgin Islands as a fund accountant for international management company, Beacon Capital. He left the world of finance and returned to his roots by completing his Masters degree in Wine Business at the University of Adelaide, where he graduated top of his class in 2010.
Chris brings with him more than just academic excellence – over the last few years, he has spent time travelling throughout Europe, Asia and Australia, and it is his experiences in those countries which are now featuring on the menu at Oak Valley. In Spain, he spent time learning about dry-curing hams, something which he is now exploring with their own free-range pigs and, along with an acclaimed local restaurateur, he will be
December 2011 | Management Today 51
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