The Cape Town International
Convention Centre has been thronging with visitors, eager to taste what
he means, at this, the biggest wine exhibition of its kind in the
Southern Hemisphere. While there has been a strong turnout from
traditional markets in Europe, and a bigger contingent from North
America, (especially and reassuringly from the US), the biggest
percentages in growth have come from Asia and Africa.
"Of course, that's from a lower base than three years ago, when we
last held our show," explains WOSA CEO Siobhan Thompson, "but it is
encouraging to see that the enthusiasm for the South African category is
becoming more widespread. We're also thrilled to see the jump in the
numbers of sommeliers attending this year."
Delegates, she confirms, have arrived from across the world. "From
Angola and Australia to Zimbabwe, and just about everything in between.
It's great to see we even have people here from Brazil and Chile."
Asia is particularly well-represented with visitors from China, Hong
Kong, India, Japan, Korea, South Korea, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines,
Singapore and Taiwan.
Wine Intelligence, in its recent Compass Report 2015-16, identified
Japan ahead of China as a market of major significance for wine
producers worldwide, ranking it the third most important after the US
and Germany. So it was interesting to hear perceptions of its potential
for South African producers, particularly given that our wines are not
especially well known in the Land of the Rising Sun.
Yet Masamitsu Yoshino, publisher and director of specialist trade
beverage magazine Wands Review is upbeat. Last year, South African
imports to Japan rose by 19,3% on 2013, according to Japan's Ministry of
Finance. The country has now overtaken Germany to become the eighth
biggest supplier of wine to Japan and there is certainly opportunity to
further entrench its presence, he believes. South Africa's
value-for-money proposition makes it ideally positioned to play in the
mid-price market, particularly the Yen 2 000 to Yen 3 000 price band
(approximately R230 to R345).
Yoshino says South Africa's profile as a wine-producing country has
risen, following its hosting of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but there is
still substantial scope for expanding visibility. As wine drinkers in
Japan are conversant with the popular French varietals, many of which
South Africa produces, we have a good base from which to grow. He adds
that, generally speaking, our wines with their European elegance are
styled to suit washoku (Japanese cuisine).
With close to 300 Japanese consumers having completed their training
in South African wine via WOSA, there are now more potential ambassadors
to introduce the fast-growing Japanese market to what we produce.
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