Pictured: (left)
Mr Gerrit van Rensburg, Western Cape Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development together with Leopard’s Leap CEO Mr Hein Koegelenberg, in front of the
Huguenot monument in Franschhoek with a bottle of L’Huguenot which is exported to China.
Leopard’s Leap Wines in major wine deal with Chinese company
L
eopard’s Leap Wines has concluded a major joint venture with Yangzhou Perfect Co. to dramatically increase the export of South African wine to China, one of the fastest growing wine markets in the world. The partnership with Yangzhou Perfect, a division of Perfect China Co., will see nearly 2.9 million bottles of South African wine shipped to China by June 2012, Leopard’s Leap CEO Mr Hein Koegelenberg said, adding that this represented a massive addition to the nearly 3.9 million bottles of South African wine already shipped to China in 2010/2011. The joint venture will be called Perfect Wines of South Africa and will be 51 percent owned by Yangzhou Perfect and 49 percent owned by Leopard’s Leap Wines. The joint venture will own the L’Huguenot wine brand. “Three years ago we identified Asia as an export destination for our wines,” says Koegelenberg, adding the growth in annual exports of South African wine from 1.2m to 4.5m litres in three years supported the decision to look east. Koegelenberg estimated that Leopard’s Leap and La Motte (of which he is also the CEO) are responsible for about 10% of South African wine exports to Asia. Perfect China President Mr. Woo Swee Lian said he also saw the potential of South African wine in China. “I see the potential of quality wine from South Africa. The base is still small, but I want to be part of this growth,” said Woo. The South African wine will be distributed via the 5,000 outlets of Perfect China, a consumer product and health food company that recently branched into wine.
40 Management Today | May 2012 “Perfect China launched our first wine from China
in end 2010,” added Woo. “I am satisfied with the market response. I believe through our network of Perfect China, we can offer more top quality wine. This will now be a wine from South Africa. I think the ability to provide consistent supply at reputable quality, is to the advantage of South Africa.” Woo believes that the joint venture with Leopard’s Leap is a strong partnership, “because it is based on our friendship between our families that is based on respect and trust. When I first went on a visit to South Africa at the beginning of this year, and I saw the commitment of La Motte and Leopard’s Leap with their social responsibility, I knew that we have a lot in common; as it is also the philosophy of Perfect China.”
Koegelenberg concurred, saying “We have the same business philosophy of trust, respect and commitment to social responsibility.”
The jointly owned L’Huguenot wine brand is named after the French Huguenots who fled to South Africa in the 17th century to escape religious persecution in France. They settled in a corner of the Cape winelands which was named Franschhoek (meaning the French Corner). Franschhoek is the home of both La Motte and Leopard’s Leap.
The L’Huguenot range will comprise a Shiraz, a Chenin Blanc and a Shiraz Pinotage.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106